Elton John Gets Reimagined Into QR Codes To Encourage LGBTQ+ Donations
To raise funds for Pride Month, the Elton John Aids Foundation, outdoor communications channel Clear Channel, and advertising agency Ogilvy UK have teamed up on a rather amusing campaign that’s sure to tickle the fancy of pun lovers everywhere.
Instead of a typical advertisement or poster, an image of LGBTQ+ royalty, Sir Elton John, has been turned into a QR code—or, wait for it—an LGBT-QR code.
Upon scanning the image, which will appear across major European cities and along Pride march routes, users will be taken to a webpage where they can make a donation to the charity. This is part of the campaign’s effort to go beyond token displays of support, and to turn its messages into points of contact by which viewers can contribute directly to the cause.
David Furnish, John’s husband, and the Chairman of the Foundation, told The Drum that while the pop star’s face has appeared on albums, posters, and merchandise across the globe, “a QR code is certainly a first.”
Of course, there’s definitely the draw of using an image of someone so instantly recognizable. Matt Waksman, strategic partner at Oglivy UK, said that with the pandemic normalizing the use of QR codes, the functional platform can now be used for other ventures, such as fundraising. And who better to spearhead the charge than “one of the world’s most recognized LGBTQ+ icons?”
The Sir Elton John LGBT-QR Codes will first feature in Utrecht and Rome, before being rolled out across the whole of Europe.
