If you found your way here via a sticker you found on the subway or street post, congratulations – but you probably didn’t, and here’s why.
You’ve likely seen these Space-Invader-chic looking, black and white squares on everything from lamp posts to billboards but perhaps have a fuzzy understanding of how they work.
We had an idea to sticker Toronto with a scancode that automatically directed to a blog post, imaginatively enough, about scancodes. Then it hit us that although QR codes are huge in early-adaptor countries like Japan, North Americas are still putting their toes in the water.
We’re concerned that scancodes could go the way of the Virtual Reality helmet – a temporary fad that never really got a big swell of public interest or support. Giant headgear and horrible graphics aside, VR suffered early-on because the novelty wasn’t paired with innovative-use in the real world. Scan codes on the other hand have limitless potential to distribute information with little more than a smart phone and an app in hand.
Will North American marketers see the potential, embrace, endorse and utilize this (relatively) new tool effectively?
Here are some of our favourite examples of innovative use:
Tikaro Interactive out of Pennsylvania created a scannable Velcro patch that directs people to your personal or business URL, like an interactive, wearable business card and discussion piece.
Here’s a link to a horrible video showing how QR codes are used to authenticate products against counterfeiting in Asia. You can already see the contesting potential.
Using QR codes on everything from catalogs to store windows and mailers made Ralph Lauren “Digital Marketer of the Year”, whisking consumers online, feeding them supplementary product information and even the ability to purchase from the street.
Movie posters in parts of Europe and Japan use QR codes allow you to printed on a poster at a movie theater and view its trailer, showing how this technology helps breathe life into the print industry.
The Buddhist Monks at the Ryouhouji Temple in Tokyo have been using QR coded contemporary-art billboards and Mobile Sutra cards that let you hear Buddhist scriptures (sutras) from the temple to attract and reach younger generations.
Cities around the world, including the City of Manor (Texas) SmartCode Project and Manhattan’s Gotham Guide saw QR codes placed on historical markers at points of interest across the cities that direct people to web pages explaining the significance and history of a building or location.
What does Simon Pure think? We love innovative technology. We wouldn’t be putting QR codes on our next round of business cards if we didn’t. But will North American marketers be able to utilize this (relatively) new tool effectively? We’ll do our part.
© 2009 Simon Pure Marketing Inc. All rights reserved.
QR Scan Coding: the Next Big Thing (to flop)?
If you found your way here via a sticker you found on the subway or street post, congratulations – but you probably didn’t, and here’s why.
You’ve likely seen these Space-Invader-chic looking, black and white squares on everything from lamp posts to billboards but perhaps have a fuzzy understanding of how they work.
Watch CBS News Videos Online
We had an idea to sticker Toronto with a scancode that automatically directed to a blog post, imaginatively enough, about scancodes. Then it hit us that although QR codes are huge in early-adaptor countries like Japan, North Americas are still putting their toes in the water.
We’re concerned that scancodes could go the way of the Virtual Reality helmet – a temporary fad that never really got a big swell of public interest or support. Giant headgear and horrible graphics aside, VR suffered early-on because the novelty wasn’t paired with innovative-use in the real world. Scan codes on the other hand have limitless potential to distribute information with little more than a smart phone and an app in hand.
Will North American marketers see the potential, embrace, endorse and utilize this (relatively) new tool effectively?
Here are some of our favourite examples of innovative use:
Tikaro Interactive out of Pennsylvania created a scannable Velcro patch that directs people to your personal or business URL, like an interactive, wearable business card and discussion piece.
Here’s a link to a horrible video showing how QR codes are used to authenticate products against counterfeiting in Asia. You can already see the contesting potential.
Using QR codes on everything from catalogs to store windows and mailers made Ralph Lauren “Digital Marketer of the Year”, whisking consumers online, feeding them supplementary product information and even the ability to purchase from the street.
Movie posters in parts of Europe and Japan use QR codes allow you to printed on a poster at a movie theater and view its trailer, showing how this technology helps breathe life into the print industry.
The Buddhist Monks at the Ryouhouji Temple in Tokyo have been using QR coded contemporary-art billboards and Mobile Sutra cards that let you hear Buddhist scriptures (sutras) from the temple to attract and reach younger generations.
Cities around the world, including the City of Manor (Texas) SmartCode Project and Manhattan’s Gotham Guide saw QR codes placed on historical markers at points of interest across the cities that direct people to web pages explaining the significance and history of a building or location.
What does Simon Pure think? We love innovative technology. We wouldn’t be putting QR codes on our next round of business cards if we didn’t. But will North American marketers be able to utilize this (relatively) new tool effectively? We’ll do our part.