How bout those QR Codes?  I know you’ve seen them on the backs of business cards, on your Heinz Ketchup bottle, in newspaper advertisements, and even on the side of the service truck sitting next to you in traffic.  Are you really going to whip out your smart phone and scan that code?  Probably the first time, maybe the second time, definitely not the third time if what pops up on the other side isn’t compelling or delivering the right content to you.  Did you get an exciting offer, or just a landing page that requires you to fill out a form.  As stated by this article by Mike at Social Media Handlers echos my sentiments.

By scanning the above image with your smart phone the QR code will take you to a website run by the Red Cross to support Japan after their earthquakes. Scanning that code will save you from manually typing 58 characters in to your phone’s browser which we know less than 1% of the people would even try.

QR Codes have kind of, almost, in a way, taken over the in America, but not really. Confused? Read five different blogs and you will hear many different opinions on what the future of the QR code is. For the uninitiated, the above middle square is a Quick Response code.

QR codes have been popular in Japan and South Korea for awhile, and seemingly like always, we are slower to pull in new technologies which still blows my mind.

So why the fractured feelings about the future? Marketers. Marketers made us hate picking up the phone during dinner time. Marketers forced the government to create a Do Not Call List. Spammers (the worst marketers) made us buy spam blockers. Marketers stuff our magazines with multiples of those subscription cards that keep falling out but all have the same offer. Marketers make us turn the volume down on commercials because they jack up the sound, well, they claim to Congress that they don’t. Liars. If it sounds louder I don’t care what you call it.
So Now What?

QR codes are still in the novelty stage where people will click them to see what Easter Egg they will find. The novelty will wear out and it will go back to what is constantly preached, quality.

Few QR codes that I see actually mentions what I will find on the other side. Tell people what to expect so that they aren’t disappointed. And please, oh please, make sure the site they go to is optimized for the mobile experience. You’ll just piss a customer off if you don’t and that’s not your goal right?

Already over half of the internet viewed through mobile devices so QR codes will become just more useful. Soon, if new technology doesn’t wipe it out, you will need to give people a reason to scan the code. If your pitch, product, or service isn’t good enough, they won’t; just like it should be.

About Chris Rabkin

Chris is a commercial artist and owner of imageProjektions Design Group. He lives in Florida with his wife Heather and their two children Brayden and Brinsley. Chris is an avid community contributor and is finding ways to give back to the community in effective and inventive ways. Chris and his son Brayden both race BMX and are very active in the BMX community in their area as well as in the BMX community outside the State of Florida.