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QR Code technology has been around for a couple years, but it has just recently started showing signs of going mainstream.
Not familiar with QR (quick response) codes? A QR Code is simply a 2D bar code that can be placed on virtually anything (a direct mail piece, magazine ad, swag, poster, POS display, etc.). They are unique codes that when read by a smart phone camera (as long as the proper software or app is installed) launch a microsite, video, podcast… virtually any rich media that marketers want to serve up to consumers.
Flip through any entertainment magazine these days, and you’ll find examples of how marketers are using QR Codes in ads to take readers to movie trailers, celebrity interviews, and more. Last fall, Dick’s Sporting Goods kicked off their mobile marketing efforts by using QR Code technology on the Cowboys Stadium Jumbotron. Microsoft also has its own version of this technology called Tag. Facebook may be even be including QR Codes in profiles, which will open up this technology to millions of marketers and consumers.
Want to see how it works firsthand? Download a QR reader app for your smart phone
(try I-nigma for iPhone and ScanLife for Blackberry), then launch the app and read the code below to see what happens.
The bottom line is QR Code technology has amazing possibilities for marketers. How can you use this technology to engage your target audience? Have any of you already used QR Codes successfully in the past? We’d love to hear from you.
Tags: qr codes / new media / quick response codes