CLEVELAND -

Saab’s parent company has been in and out of the spotlight lately, battling to keep operations going while it staves off creditors. However, one Cleveland-area dealership has set its sights on bringing some new consumer awareness to the brand and its models. In what is perhaps a bit of a novel idea, this dealership is utilizing QR codes in a new marketing campaign.

Saab of North Omstead — part of the Collection Auto Group — is launching “Snap up a Saab” later this month, and during this promotion, it is assigning pre-selected drivers to different all-new models from Saab. Each of these vehicles has been labeled with a QR code that appears on the exterior and interior of the car.

On Oct. 30, 100 drivers are assembling at the dealership and will drive away in the cars. For the week that follows, the drivers will go around Northeast Ohio and collect “points” by having people use their smartphones to scan the QR code. They will bring the vehicle back to the dealership on Nov. 5.

Then on each of the three following Sundays (Nov. 6, Nov. 13 and Nov. 20), a different set of 100 pre-selected drivers will repeat this process.

Each of the 400 contestants will have their own website to promote themselves and keep tabs on their points. Collection Auto Group and local software developer Whisteo designed the sites.

Drivers can also go to the Northeast Ohio locations of each of six corporate sponsors — Dunkin’ Donuts, Yours Truly Restaurants, Suburban Collision Centers, Alson Jewelers, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Adesso Fashion for Men and Kilgore Trout — and have their QR codes scanned.

When they do so, they are given a special offer that they can use after voting for their favorite sponsor.

“We are expecting that this campaign will not only tap into the passion of the Saab enthusiasts, but it will allow consumers of every age an opportunity to see that the new Saab brand is an affordable luxury, that’s sleek and stylish,” said Bernie Moreno, president of Collection Auto Group.

The top six contestants (based on points) after each round will qualify for the semifinals, which start at 12:01 a.m. EST on Nov. 26 and end at 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 27.

During this round, the semifinalists will try to generate the most votes as possible from fans and friends, who can vote on the contestants’ respective websites.

The top five vote-getters will quality for the final round on Dec. 1 at the dealership. The overall winner will receive the grand prize of winning the new Saab car of his choice.

"All Saabs offer a unique combination of Scandinavian design, safety, performance and utility. Above all, Saab puts the driver at the center of the design. We always say if you drive one, you’ll want one," said Tim Colbeck, president and chief operating officer of Saab Cars North America. "The North Olmsted Saab Experience is a creative and innovative way to show off our product range to our contestants and to their social networks. It’s a very cool initiative by Bernie and the team at Saab of North Olmsted.”

To read more about how dealers are using QR codes and other forms of advertising in the digital space, be sure to read Auto Remarketing’s recent look at digital and social-media marketing.