Have you come across a box like this and wondered what it was? They are Quick Response Codes (QR Codes). They were created in 1994 by Denso-Wave for aiding in the tracking of parts used in the vehicle manufacturing process. Today they have become the next tool used by marketers and are aimed at smart phone users. They are matrix codes or 2D bar codes.
So why are they created in place of bar codes? QR Codes offer a number of significant advantages over traditional bar codes.
- Due to the square design, they offer more encoded information than can be contained within a single bar code. Data can be stored horizontally and vertically. Traditional bar codes can only store about 20 characters while QR codes can store hundreds (300 is generally the recommended limit).
- They can contain a variety of information including text, website addresses and links, contact information including phone numbers.
- They can be read from any direction.
- They can be read by any number of devices that contain a camera and a code reader, eliminating the need for customer equipment and software.
- Each time the code is read, it can be tracked.
Currently, these codes are widely used in Japan and Europe by advertisers due to their versatility. They are starting to make their way into the marketing portfolio of US advertisers. With the ability of smart phones to download code readers, these codes can be readily created and read, providing an avenue for quick response to ads. The user merely opens the code reader program and points the camera at the code. The software then decodes the matrix revealing the text, a website link or other information.
The code above, if read correctly, is a special promotion. Other codes will allow contact information to download to your phone without having to enter it by hand. QR codes can be used to provide additional product information that would not readily fit on packaging, provide links back to a store’s website or offer unique promotional offers.
With the ability to place QR codes on everything from business cards to shirts, their potential uses are endless. With the ability to track response to them, they are fast becoming a valuable marketing tool.
Look for Blue Ridge Wireless to begin using more QR codes in the near future!
