Being Paid by the Beast | Tencent's Red QR Codes Prevail Nationwide, Bringing a New Way to Download APPs

Currently, the activity of "Scanning the Red QR Code, Obtaining a Red Packet" is prevalent in China. As mobile phone users scan the red QR code, they can obtain lucky money from Tencent Yingyongbao. Tencent Yingyongbao contributed RMB500 million for this activity. Downloading Apps through the red QR code is different from the traditional way of App downloading. Users can download Apps directly through Wechat Scan. This provides a new way for App developers to distribute and popularize their Apps. Tencent staff revealed that all Android users who scan the red QR code through Yingyongbao can obtain lucky money from Wechat, with the winning rate of 100 percent. Each of these packets can contain as much as RMB200.

During the May Day holiday, the offline marketing campaign "Red QR code storm connecting all" was held in landmark buildings and plazas within major cities (i.e. Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen), where approximately 20 App developers and Tencent participated. Tens of thousands of people were attracted to join this campaign, ranging from elders to children and even foreigners. All were actively engaged in joining the "Scanning the Red QR Code, Grabbing a red envelope" activity. Furthermore, marketing images and footage of the red QR code can be seen in buses and metros, main streets and mainstream TVs of China' big cities.

Currently, hundreds of Apps (i.e. Dianping, Didi Taxi, JD, and Vipshop) have entered this activity and have achieved roughly 90 percent of the downloading transformation rate. Downloads of China Merchants Bank's "Handheld life" has increased to 1 million after joining this activity. This is a typical example of a traditional enterprise that transformed to a mobile Internet enterprise through the red QR code of Yingyongbao. The successful transformation of "CMB LIFE" is clearly portrayed in three aspects. First, the one-stop download of Tencent Yingyongbao's red QR code enhances the rate of transformation. Second, the new downloading scenario and cash bonuses enhance users' passion and initiative for downloading. Third, it generates publicity through Tencent Yingyongbao and Wechat, online channels such as websites, Weibo and Wechat accounts of China Merchants Bank, and the offline channel of marketing department of China Merchant Bank.

Tencent Yingyongbao is an official app store of Tencent and it is also an ideal choice for distributing apps to the Chinese Android market. Tencent and third party partners issue their Apps firstly on this platform. Tencent has abundant account systems, different options, and vast resources for users. As a result, Tencent has succeeded in creating quick ways for advancing and creating profits for Android developers. Tencent has been able to develop in a mobile terminal, integrating all platform sources, and fulfilling all platform distributions with one access.