Marketers – which one of these billboards do you think would get more responses?
If the point of putting a mobile call-to-action on a advert is to get the consumer to do something with their phone, why is the industry continuing to use a fucking cryptic graphic that less people understand than a URL?
(Updated) The common argument is that mobile users save a handful of seconds by scanning a QR code. Back in 2005 when I first started playing around with the codes, URL’s looked a bit like this:
www.vodafone.com/offers/uk/xsi282$3wudydcjjssover
Now they look a bit like this:
is.gd/goto4
Oh and don’t forget the large percentage of phones that have a physical or virtual keyboard.
So is that single-digit time saving really worth excluding 69% of UK consumers?
I read a great post by Rachel Beer which pretty much sums up what’s happening right now:
“Yet, as with any new technology, QR codes are merely a means to an end for marketers. They are enablers to big ideas. They aren’t the big ideas themselves. Some brands are merely riding the novelty of QR codes, rather than doing anything interesting with them.”
…and Sean Cummings in the post called “Why the QR Code is failing“:
People will not adopt a technical solution that serves to replace a manual task, if that solution is less efficient than the manual task it replaces. How could we think that QR codes for marketing would work any better than CueCat? Did we not learn the first time?
Even John Gruber weighs in:
QR codes are built for machines, not humans. And they’re ugly.
Please make it stop.
No related posts.
Couldn’t agree more. QR codes are bad enough, but even worse is how stupid ad agencies implement them in totally idiotic places. QR codes were invented for manufacturing and that’s where they should stay.
I’m starting to think the only person benefiting is the layout designer for the actual ad…
Oh yeah, definitely. It’s a hype thing, so of course the designers/agencies are going to capitalise on that. Either the client’s are going “X had a QR campaign, we want one!” or the agency is plugging it as the Next Big Thing, causing one company to opt for it and the rest to copy that. It’s a shitty catch 22 in the end. :/
U R Stupid, QR Codes 4eva
At least your QR code example works. Now, where’s my bacon?
How about text the word “Bacon” to 69696 to get free bacon? No. that would be a silly idea.
I disagree, that is genius!
I am not sure you should use any reference to bacon on an adult-range shortcode. At least not on a billboard…
Seriously though, we recently ran a QR next to an SMS shortcode with equal prominence recently across a range of press titles, and the QR outperformed the SMS by 100:1. I know Muzza hates’em, but even reactionary data sources like comscore have reported dramatic rises in usage – http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2011/8/14_Million_Americans_Scanned_QR_or_Bar_Codes_on_their_Mobile_Phones_in_June_2011
Plus I have spoken to many marketers who simply say they work. Enough prejudice already!
A SMS takes around the same amount of time to enter as a short URL + why would anyone text in to get a URL these days?
Q.W.E.R.T.Y
There’s nothing really wrong with using QR codes as long as the URL is also present in the ad. Then people who like to scan them can save time and think the ad is cool (points for the product) and those who have no idea can just type in the URL.
Well, you shouldn’t be driving and scanning (QR codes) anyway.
You should simply say:
FREEbacon.com
Keep the message short and easy to remember. How can you possibly drive and aim a smart phone at a QR code?
Agree with Dom and Rob – clients are often being sold QR codes by agencies using their money to explore new technology – with little regard for the value to their business. Bit like Social Media
Think you need to use both – to cater for the shift in handset technology.
I think on one hand the QR Code sort of gives it the intention for people to find out what the link is…
But I think if people are going to search for it, billboards, you drive past… a quick link ( URL ) is better then rushing to get your phone out to find you’ve gone into the billboard or something. ^_*
I checked a QR code a company had used on some marketing – it failed to redirect due to duplication of part of the web address in the code. Would never have happened with a regular URL.
Feels too clunky too me (non QR Code, QR Codes don’t work imho) – needs to be more punchy ? What about …
Hungry ? Want FREE Bacon ? http://www.bac.on/eat
or
Hungry ? FREE Bacon – visit http://www.bac.on/eat
Billboards are among the worst uses, unless traffic is dead still most of the time. Black & white QR Codes are definitely going away in favor of more artistic Branded QR Codes. The look so much nicer on packaging & advertising. Something like BrandedQRs.com will really pick up steam.
I think there are two points to it.
1st people love a mystery and QR codes are mysterious.
2nd QR codes are being driven by big businesses like newspapers, tescos, and google (in the states so UK will be next)) , they will be second nature soon enough. Stop moaning about how boring they are and get creative about how to use a boring QR code to do something different
‘People love a mystery and QR codes are mysterious’
Yeah people like a mystery when they are watching the Sixth Sense not when they want more information on a product.
2nd – I disagree, if you’re using a QR code then you are anything but creative. There are x amount of engaging ways to use technology, data and social graphs to create engaging advertising. QR code is the easy way out for brainless marketers.
Ok how’s this, I’m the client and you’re selling the concept of a QR to me. I ask to you what is the benefit of this thing over a short URL, what is your response?