A tale about QR codes, the wave of yesterday

Create your own QR code @ http://qrcode.kaywa.com/

2D quick-response (QR) codes are all the rage in Japan and (as I’m told) certain parts of the States. In its 2008 consumer experience report, Razorfish foresees a bright future for QR codes in marketing:

2D barcodes—sometimes called QR (Quick Response) codes—
are small, pixelated images that can be scanned
by camera phones, giving mobile users access to
information wherever they may be. Typically,
scanning the image will launch the phone’s
browser and allow users to download audio snippets,
bookmark ads about products and services,
read restaurant reviews and even preview movies.

Apple famously used the codes in a campaign for
its iPod nano in Japan. Consumers would emerge
from their trains in Tokyo Line Shibuya Station
to be greeted by a massive wall of nano cut-outs
sporting QR codes with special directions for
downloading themed wallpapers.

Now 2D barcode technology is getting a big push
in the U.S. via Google, Sprint, CitySearch and
Continental Airlines.

Google is testing the technology as part of their
Print Ads platform and the barcodes include
things like coupons, phone numbers, URLs and
more. The company recently ran the barcodes
alongside ads in the New York Times for Blue Nile.

I think it’s great how easy and interactive QR codes can make the transmission of large amounts of information, marketing URLs included – once you have the proper software installed. Like so:

It's easy to use QR codes

Anyone can create their own QR code (as I have above) at a selection of websites such as http://qrcode.kaywa.com/.

But not many people have the QR code reader software pre-installed on their phones (iPhone and Nokia E71 users notably do); and the more difficult it is to download, transfer and install the required software, the lower you can expect the pick-up to be.

Install the QR code reader

It’s easy enough to push in Japan, a compact hotbed of wired whizzes. Elsewhere, I’m not so sure.

To make things trickier still, in practice, QR codes aren’t always easy to read (at least off a computer screen – probably because of the refresh rate).

And with 3D augmented reality picking up gradually, the capricious early adopters who are flogging the QR bandwagon may soon have a new, readily available toy on their hands.

Let’s see how it plays out.

There’s something inherently charming about QR codes, but I tend to be old-fashioned that way.