To QR or not to QR - is that a question?

0 Comments

The title obviously gives away the subject but I wonder if you would have guessed it from the facts above? when I tested this on the team in recent meeting no one got it - and why would they ? after all QR codes are dull and boring right? WRONG! (IMHO) and here's why......
QR codes are well and truly here to stay - they are cropping up everywhere from gravestones to bus timetables and you can even get a tattoo with a QR code - but that doesn't mean that they are being used correctly and to their best effect - after all not everyone can be as creative and bold as ebay were recently bringing its ‘buy-it-now’ shopping experience in the form of a pop up shop to London for Christmas. to inspire your Christmas shopping by allowing people to scan a code with the eBay app on your smartphone and buy it for home delivery right there and then- they even had HTC phones on hand for the smartphone-less.
So here are Gravity thinking's top 5 tips for how to make QR codes work for you:
- LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION: Tesco in South Korea (called Tesco Homeplus) wanted to expand their market share - the problem was that shopping was seen as a "dreadful task" especially given the crowded nature of the country - they came up with an ingenius solution - take the store to the people by developing a virtual store in a subway where people could order using .....you've guessed it QR codes....and have shopping delivered direct to their home. So an innovative solution to a difficult challenge - one point of warning - remember where the audience is located - in South Korea they have mobile phone access on subways - Red Bull forgot this in the US and ran a QR code campaign in subways and Continental committed a similar gaffe on a plane.
- CTA - As the use of QR codes spreads it is inevitable that people will become immune to them and the challenge is then to drive scans in the first place - The August/September 2011 issue of VIBE Magazine introduces the first ever interactactive trend issue of VIBE. The 5 page spread features 7 QR codes and exclusive mobile landing pages connecting readers to valuable trend information and trusted e-tailors to buy.
- CONTENT IS KING: As with all social and digital work if you have done the hard work of getting someone to act then please please please ensure that the place they end up is relevant and engaging and above all mobile compatible don't just send them t your PC compatible website ! The recent CNN Republican Presidential Debate was a great example - they delivered QR codes throughout the programme that unlocked exclusive mobile content and even linked to Twitter...which brings us onto number 4....
- INTEGRATE - the aforementioned debate featured a dedicated Twitter feed #cnndebate which encouraged people to be part of the conversation - they used the content to enhance the programming. Diesel recently did this to great effect when they encouraged people to share their favourite denim from their stores using QR codes at retail fixtures.
- IMPACT - As with all campaigns understanding the effect is essential to learn and develop - include elements such as scan rate, time spent, location, numbers etc. but also elements such as shares and referrals. There are some great bespoke tracking services out there such as Tappinn
Although these may seem obvious many brands are ignoring some real basics and whether the future is all about QR codes or the new alternatives such as digital watermarks as trialled by House Beautiful this month the same principles apply - just make sure (to borrow / bastardise the title) "all your sins are not remembered" so don't get caught out in 2012

About Post Author

Gravity

Morbi leo risus, porta ac consectetur ac, vestibulum at eros. Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus.