Coinbase’s bouncing QR code Super Bowl ad was so popular it crashed the app

Coinbase just made its Super Bowl debut with a remarkable clever QR code ad that might have been too popular: the company’s “Less talk, more Bitcoin,” campaign appears to have temporarily knocked out its app following the ad airing during the broadcast

The full 60-second ad almost entirely consisted of a colorful bouncing QR code, reminiscent of the iconic bouncing DVD logo meme. When scanned, the code brought viewers to Coinbase’s promotional website, offering a limited time promotion of $15 worth of free Bitcoin to new sign ups, along with a $3 million giveaway that customers can enter.

The offer is a limited time one, with new customers having until February 15th to get the $15 promotion — something that may be an issue, as Coinbase’s app is currently down, presumably due to the massive influx of traffic from the clever ad.

Cryptocurrency companies are a major presence at this year’s Super Bowl, with multiple companies — including Crypto.com and FTX — using the big game to promote either cryptocurrency exchanges, NFTs, or other related projects.

Other companies, like Meta, were quick to jump onto Coinbase’s bit. Shortly after Coinbase’s ad debut, Meta’s Quest account tweeted its own bouncing QR code that linked out to the company’s Foo Fighters-led VR afterparty it has planned for after the game.

Update February 13th, 7:56pm ET: Added additional detail on Meta’s spin off Coinbase’s ad.