Cracking the Code
The first time I noticed a QR code, I was in a restaurant. The place had a self-serve soda fountain, and the code was on the side of one of the paper beverage cups. No accompanying text. No indication what the code would do. It was just there. A quirky, black-and-white cipher, haphazardly placed without regard for silly things like “aesthetics” or “cohesive branding.” It was an affront to marketing feng shui. But it was tantalizing. Where was this thing going to take me?
I had to scan it.
...
This was the kind of viral appeal that helped drive the meteoric rise of the QR code. Early on, when the technology was fresh and new (at least, in a marketing sense; QR codes had been around since 1994, but primarily were used for tracking purposes in the manufacturing industry) there was a novelty value that appealed to our curiosity. We didn’t necessarily know what the codes did, but we were going to scan the heck out of them—because we read about them on the Internet, or because we wanted to be on the leading edge of the next tech craze, or because we were at a restaurant and it was something to do.
Nowadays, QR codes are everywhere. They’re a fixture of new media marketing, popping up on everything from billboards to wine bottle labels to edible cupcake decorations. But how long can their popularity last? Can QR codes continue to be effective marketing tools now that their novelty value has worn off? And if so, what can they do for your business? Read on to find out.
“Pixels on the Page”: Why Content is Key
In the restaurant, I scanned that mysterious QR code hoping it would send me a magical coupon for free soda for life. What I got was considerably less exciting. The code sent me to a generic landing site. No personalization. No free stuff. Just a home page for the soft drink company represented on the cup. It was like the Ovaltine scene from “A Christmas Story”—my decoder ring was the setup for a crummy commercial.
That might have worked in 2010, when QR codes still had cool-new-technology appeal. But now? It’s all about content. “Marketers and information systems people need to make sure they explain why a code should be used and not just expect people to use it because they think it’s cool,” explained John Shanley, president of Labels West, Woodinville, Wash. “The way to get the code scanned is to make sure the consumer understands the value of scanning the code—not just, ‘Oh, that’s kind of neat, let’s scan it.’”
John Foley, Jr., CEO of interlinkONE, a marketing software company based in Wilmington, Mass., offered similar advice. “Companies are finally starting to realize that they have to deliver an engaging mobile experience,” he said. “It goes beyond just the QR code—you need to direct people [who] scan it to a mobile website where they can quickly gain or provide valuable information.”
For awhile, anyone could print up a custom code, slap it on the side of, say, a beverage cup, and bank on insatiable consumer tech appetites and projected increases in smartphone use to generate easy profits. Value took a backseat to volume. And for Foley, this is a major obstacle in working with QR codes. “I think one big challenge is that because of the number of companies that have used them incorrectly, certain people have a bad impression of them,” he noted.
“It’s all about the consumer. The mainstream public recognizes what a QR code is, what it does and how to use it,” Foley added. “Thus, smart marketers are using them as a response mechanism, [not as something] that’s ‘shiny’ and ‘new.’”
Still, it’s one thing to say, “We need to make our QR codes stand out,” and another to actually succeed in doing so—especially as QR codes continue to proliferate at a rate exceeding what the smartphone-using public can conceivably scan. So what, exactly, can marketers do to add value?
“We educate our clients that QR codes often do lead to a website or a personalized webpage that offers a lead gathering service or more product information,” explained Tom Flottman, CEO of Flottman Company, Crestview Hills, Ky. “However, the code can lead to a product video, a testimonial interview or MapQuest-style driving directions to your location. QR codes are more than just pixels on the page, they can be personalized and interactive.”
Shanley went into even greater detail, describing a theoretical scenario that illustrates the extent to which QR codes can be personalized. “A new restaurant opens in your town. You receive a postcard by mail, and on that postcard is a QR code,” he explained. “You scan that code and your browser is directed to a personalized URL that has a link to a coupon for 20 percent off your meal, a link to a map that shows exactly how to get there from your home, and a link to a menu from the restaurant. It might even have a link to a video bio of the head chef. The postcard could simply say, ‘Scan this code for everything you ever wanted to know about our grand opening.’ Pretty cool.”
What’s In It For You
The print industry has long been at odds with technology (see the contracting forms sector), but in QR codes, printers at last have a direct, tangible link between paper and digital media. “They make print interactive,” said Foley. “They provide a tremendous way to engage the growing mobile audience.” So long as marketers continue to provide value in their QR codes, the technology should remain a boon for the print industry.
“Yes, there have been some companies that have used them ‘just because,’ but those efforts nearly always result in failure,” Foley noted. “But for printers, the opportunity to deliver a full mobile experience—including the QR code, the mobile website, the landing page, the mobile form, etc.—can be great for business.”
Shanley agreed, adding that QR codes are helping dispel the notion that technology is bad for print. “Here we have an example of just the opposite,” he explained. “If [the QR code] is not printed somewhere it can’t be scanned. It’s important to my business as it provides an additional revenue stream. I truly believe that QR codes have a legitimate place in print, but it’s the marketer’s job to make sure the public knows that.”
Others were less willing to put the onus entirely on marketers. Despite its recent explosion in popularity, QR code technology is relatively new as a marketing tool, and there is still somewhat of a learning curve. For printers, that means educating clients about the benefits QR code marketing can bring to their business.
“We use the codes primarily in our direct mail pieces to drive recipients to a personalized website where we can request more information or provide more details on the offer, opportunity or brand,” Flottman explained. “But most interesting to us has been the ability to brand QR codes with company logos embedded into them. Being able to make the corporate logo part of the QR code structure enables an enhanced branding experience.”
Meanwhile, Foley pointed to analytics—QR codes allow companies to obtain valuable demographic information straight from the source. “Companies can track QR codes to find out what products are most popular,” he said. “They can also track the location of where people are scanning the QR codes. This can provide tremendous insight as to where one’s mobile audience is.”
Despite these advantages, Foley acknowledged that many printers and marketers alike remain undecided on the value of QR codes. For these parties, he offered a final tip. “The advice I would give to companies that are unsure or scared is to just try it,” he said of QR code marketing. “Build a mobile website and a QR code for your own business—you’ll see how easy it is. Then start making your printed materials interactive.”