Odds are that you, like most of the American public, have not seen this on your can of Pepsi or plastered on a billboard. It is called a QR Code as in quick response code. Although this version of the 2d barcode is not popular stateside yet, the codes are rampant in their home of Japan where they were developed by Denso Wave. In a survey by Marsh, Inc., found that 80% of the Japanese public have seen and used the codes.
Point. Shoot. Watch/Read/Learn. QR Codes can be captured by later generation cellphones and all smartphones. The ability to read in both the horizontal and vertical directions make it more versatile than the traditional barcode that are found those cans of Campbell soup found at your grocery store. The decoder, or phone in this case, can dish up information such as a phone number or display online content. A map location, SMS, phone number, e-mail address, or any other text can be formatted into the barcode. This allows the offline print to continue to an online conversation – a marketer’s dream. Read the ABC News review of Rough Guide’s use of QR codes in the travel book Earthbound.
Top Uses for QR Codes (descending order)
- Advertisement (printed)
- Computer Display
- Newspaper or Magazine
- Product Label
- Poster
- Computer Print Out
- Business Card
- Mobile Phone
- Vending Machine
For all of the buzz over capabilities and the uses of QR codes, there are significant detractors. My ancient phone is one of many that are not capable of using QR Codes. The list is restrictive once you get past smartphones. To make matters worse, the most of the phones sold in the US, unlike Japan, that are capable of reading the codes do not ship with the appropriate software pre-installed. The user carries the burden of downloading and installing the appropriate software to read the QRs. A lot of marketing campaigns have overlooked this critical point by not including a written “how to” or link to download the software.
Getting past the technical hurdles will be challenging, but there is another problem. Two dimensional barcodes are plain ugly. The codes are utilitarian and jarring to the eyes. A lot of designers will either try to minimize the jolt by disguising as a graphic or forgo them completely. Fortunately, the technology is being pushed forward as software companies, including Microsoft, attempt to tag everything. The QR Code might not gain much traction outside of Japan, but the functions of the technology will persist. The next generations of codes like the HCCB, high capacity color barcode, will offer more flexibility in design while offering the same functionality. Of all companies, Microsoft, should be able to exert influence to ultimately make the technology easier to use and more accessible for the end user.
Sample Marketing Campaigns
In Store Signage
photo by: avlxyz
Movie Poster
photo by: Sander van Zoest
Twitter Promotion
photo by: bwittorf
Other Resources: Spyderlynk, 2d code
