By Chris Lee

They’re all around us – on airport floors, in high street stores, even Grand Prix; small, black and white pixelated squares that can be scanned by mobile devices and lead consumers to offers or more information. They are Quick Response – or QR – codes and so far the response to QR codes has been promising, with take-up especially strong amongst younger people.

According to Joule and Kinetic Worldwide research, 40 per cent of consumers across all age groups are now familiar with QR codes and 12 per cent have successfully scanned a QR code with their mobile phone camera.

QR codes originate in Japan, where codes have been used for anything ranging from storing medical records to books of remembrance on gravestones, and for Robert Ford, head of digital at content marketing agency Summersault Communications, the benefits to business are clear.

“The use of QR codes prolongs the interaction between the user and business, and brings the brand to life. The company can also evaluate the process by generating valuable analytics showing the click-throughs,” he said.

Simplifying things

According to Laura Marriott, CEO of barcode technology firm NeoMedia Technologies, using QR codes opens consumers up to a whole new world of interactivity with their favourite brands, by connecting them to the product website, comparative shopping applications, contests/trivia or even a direct to a call center to have their questions answered. On-shelf or on-pack 2D codes can also allow a consumer to gain access to nutritional information, price comparisons or even build a virtual shopping cart.

“Brands and retailers can also use 2D codes throughout point of sale and marketing collateral to enable a consumer’s rapid sign up for promotions and loyalty programmes, or to drive footfall through mobile coupon campaigns,” she told NMK. “Meanwhile leisure brands such can employ mobile barcodes in mobile ticketing to create a consumer friendly and ecological experience, while they are very useful for business-to-business commercial track and trace solutions and logistics, bringing workforce and resourcing efficiencies to bear.”

QR code best practice

Although QR codes have been around for a while, it has only recently taken off in the UK recently due to the rise in smart devices with effective free scanners and generator apps, according to Ivor Morgan, Head of EMEA marketing at ecommerce firm Venda.

“What QR codes carry isn’t just data. It’s the potential to extend an interaction beyond the original point of contact,” Morgan told NMK. "They can become out-of-hours shopping assistants if you use them in a shop window or you can use them to add to basket as Tesco Korea did with its subway poster adverts. Put them on your product packs and they can deliver far more useful information than the statutory content, calorie and caution information.”

Morgan advises the below best practice for companies looking to use QR codes in business.

• It’s important to avoid the “hey, we do QR too” syndrome. You need to have value behind the code: a competition entry, a coupon, a money off offer, engaging content etc.

• Also, I’ve seen them on TV ads and you can’t expect a viewer to spot, react, grab their phone, fire up the app, get the code focused and scan it in just 30 seconds. QR codes are best used in situations where they can be static; if you are going to use it in a video use it in your static last frame – say on YouTube. If the marketing director insists they are in the TV ad then you need frequency and repetition to educate viewers to be ready to scan.

• Be sure the landing page is directly relevant to the content hosting the QR code. Leverage what you have learned about Adwords landing pages in that respect; don’t reinvent the wheel.

• Makes sure that your QR code goes to a mobile-optimised experience, not your .com site shrunk down; otherwise you immediately lose the engagement you created.

• Don’t create a super-long URL and encode it; create a shortened URL (e.g. use bit.ly) and encode that. And print the short URL beneath the QR code for folks who don’t have mobile phones but who will photograph it for - maybe - use later on.

• Finally, test, test and test again and track usage.