Five Things You May Not Know About QR Codes
QR codes are slowly gaining traction in the marketplace. When scanned
on a product package, on a shelf sign, or in a print advertisement, these
Quick Response codes can direct consumers to web sites, music
downloads, informational videos — in short, to an abundance of bonus
material. It is “value-added” wrought smartly and simply. All consumers
need to do is download a QR code reader to their smartphones to enjoy
the benefits.
Some brand campaigns that have incorporated QR codes have proven to
be successful, including recent ones for Constellation Wines and Kellogg’s
Crunchy Nut cereal. But there’s no widespread adoption — yet. Most experts believe that the more consumer packaged goods companies and retailers know about QR codes, the more likely they are to use them as part of their marketing toolkit. You may know a lot about about QR codes, but here are five things you may not know:
1. NO STANDARDS — Not all QR codes are open source. With no rules or regulations on QR code distribution or usage, some codes are put into the market with proprietary URL (universal resource locator) language, which can only be read by a proprietary reader. Users are confused when they get an error message, because the QR codes all look the same to the user. It’s a bad business practice, and it is common — for now anyway.
2. STILL BLACK AND WHITE — QR code readers need to scan about 80% of the code to get proper readability because of the U.S. broadband and wireless infrastructure. Additionally, the readers are detecting the codes by the contrast of dark and light, which is why they are commonly produced in black and white. A QR code can be manipulated in the U.S. by color and some graphical images, but over 80% of the code has to stay in its original form to assure proper readership. In the Pacific Rim countries, with higher bandwidth capabilities (4G, 5G, and even 6G), QR codes are often manipulated to the extreme with branded images. In this case, the reader only needs to detect about 5-10% of the code to get proper readership.
3. MISDIRECTION — QR codes are not mobile assets. Often QR codes are scanned and the user is sent to a content experience they cannot use on their phone. This is because of common misguidance. Many assume that simply putting QR code out in market and connecting it to any URL is enough. But often scanning the code is useless because it cannot be rendered on a mobile device. With the power of the web behind it, the URL can direct to so many “tools” of the mobile user, such as product information, movie trailers, coupons, m-commerce, etc. But it is only effective when the asset or content is
mobile ready.
4. NO THREAT FROM NFC — QR codes will not be replaced by emerging NFC (near field communication) technology. NFC is being rolled out into device and POS systems at a snail’s pace, and some are already talking about this technology making QR codes obsolete. But while NFC is a hot topic — and will most certainly create efficient payment and redemption systems — the QR will most automatically be common communication vehicle for a device to connect with physical media. The cost to incorporate NFC into flighted media would be too costly, taking into account the need to develop the technology, design, manufacture and installation of the hardware, not to mention rolling it out at retail establishments. Relative to that, QR codes are inexpensive - especially when you consider that there are already tens of millions of smartphones in consumers’ hands.
5. KEEP IT SMALL — QR Codes are best used in dimensions of 1-in. by 1-in. and above. While QR codes are most commonly seen on product packaging and in advertisements, they are also seen scaled up and plastered to the sides of buildings in some cases. Simply enlarging QR codes won’t work, as the relative dimension must be taken into account, along with the proper amount of white space around the code itself. This is often cut off, as it is perceived "extra". It will not be able to be read otherwise.
One more thing: ALWAYS associate a QR code with a call-to-action; consumers do not scan unless
told to.
Information for this article was provided by David Apple, chief marketing officer of Augme Technologies. More information can be obtained at www.augme.com, or by emailing David.Apple@augme.com.
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