Quick Response
So this is some fun, interesting news for the advertising world.
I’m sure some already know what this is, but a fellow classmate recently introduced me to QR codes, and this is mine (directs you to my LinkedIn profile).
After learning about these neat little matrix barcodes, I started doing some research on them.
To utilize this nifty little Quick Response code, all you need is a smart phone equipped with a barcode scanning application. Once you have the app open, the phone automatically picks up the code and directs you to the URL the QR code is associated with.
According to some sources (wikipedia), the QR code was invented in 1994 by a subsidiary of Toyota, Denso-Wave, with the intent of designing a quicker, more efficient way to scan vehicle parts. Eventually, the versatility and ease of the barcode made for its appearance in other ‘media,’ including marketing.
Marketers now have a new, innovative way to engage consumers! Okay, so it’s not that new, but as far as I know, not a lot of businesses or people are using them to their full potential. At least not around here. Marketers now have a way of reaching you all the time. No matter where you are. They can be used for events, promotions, increasing traffic, branding, tracking your ROI or used in a loyalty or rewards program. Some people substitute the codes as their business cards. Even Foursquare has started to get in on the action, using the codes as a quicker way for users to check in at venues.
It should be interesting to see what ideas people come up with in regards to the innovative ways the codes can be used. I know I have a few ideas up my sleeve…
