I was recently reading an issue of Nylon magazine, which if you have ever skimmed is packed with ads. The more pages I turned the more I started to notice the use of QR codes, or bar codes, in print ads. QR codes are now joining the marketing mix! It isn't just luxury or fashion brands that are joining this new direct marketing strategy. Anyone can now find a free barcode generator on the web and attach the desired information they aim to share.
My first encounter with QR technology was through my Blackberry, by scanning another Blackberry mobile user's bar code; I was able to download their vCard information. QR codes, short for Quick Response, are now storing various forms of data-from videos to URLs to personal information. The Android, iPhone and most other smart phones are equipped with QR code scanning applications.
The new you, individuals are getting creative by incorporating QR codes with their
business cards. Not only does this help your business card stand out in midst the numerous other cards people receive, but QR codes allow you to track traffic. A special code attached to your bar code will quantify your web traffic and allocate if people are accessing through smart phones or other links. Create your own now for free!
Going beyond branding for you, QR codes are essential to any sort of promotional material, i.e. advertising. These little black and white boxes can be seen in subway stations, window displays, print ads, posters, billboards, and the list goes on. QR codes not only create an interactive experience for the consumer but also add depth to your advertising goals. This is where advertising crosses that fine line and becomes marketing.
These little codes are great for your business because they feature a new level of originality that marketers have been searching for. Consumers of this generation are overexposed and often unaffected but with QR codes, things are taken on another level. Watch this video of how a campaign by the New York Central Park built a board game utilizing bar codes. Not only did they engage park goers but the improved park attendance because the campaign became its own attraction.
These paper-based hyperlinks have just recently started to go main stream in the United States. The technology was actually invented in Japan in 1994 and is more common in Asia. This new marketing tool is helping companies share and cross the boundaries of print-mediums to digital; an off-line reach that extends to cross-media marketing. Leveraged properly QR Codes can improve your marketing collateral.
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