You may have seen these 2-dimensional images used in TV programs, poster advertising, on your airline boarding pass, or even on your favourite bottle of wine.

QR codes (short for Quick-Response) are a fairly new concept but they are increasingly becoming a useful marketing tool and 2011 has seen an explosion in their use.

QR codes allow you to be immediately linked to digital content on the web that gives you additional information about a particular promotion, product or brand. This information is provided when scanning the code with your smart phone.

With the increasing use of smart-phones now dominating the market QR codes are convenient and can be read by millions of consumers without the need for a special scanner. Information is delivered to the consumer instantly about the promotion allowing data to be collected about the consumer who scanned the QR code. Once a QR code has been scanned it can give your consumer details about your business (allowing users to search for nearby locations), or it may give you a coupon which you can use in a local outlet.

The QR code itself should be enough to intrigue your consumer though it’s often a good idea to include a short message about the benefits of scanning the QR code, something along the lines of… ‘Scan this code for more details’ or something specific to your brand. Advertising coupons, special offers, free downloads or product demos can create that added interest to sway your consumer to scan your QR code and benefit from the promotion.

If any of the details of the promotion change there is no need to reprint the QR code, a quick revision to the destination link and you have a new campaign!

Want to know more about QR codes and how best to use them in your marketing campaigns? Give us a call…