What? Did you actually expect to see a sexy looking designer QR Code here? I guess I set a certain expectation in your mind, but failed to deliver. Sorry, maybe I’ll get it right next time. Have you seen or experienced this scenario before, an advertising or promotional message that says one thing, but delivers […]
Monthly Archives: July 2011
Recently, the City of Santa Monica launched a QR Code-based out-of-home campaign to promote two local summer-time events, “Cinema on the Street” and “Dating Downtown.” As always, it’s great to see local communities making use of 2D technology but, in this particular instance, most every marketing related best practice has been simply ignored and, I […]
The other day, my family received this direct mail newsletter from Liz Krueger, a local New York State Senator. Good luck trying to scan the QR Code. I tried for some time and wasn’t able to, because it’s too small and too dense. Either Liz and her marketing/technology team did not do a decent enough […]
The other week, I mentioned that I was going to be a member of Mobile Monday NY’s panel discussion on the “State of the Mobile Barcode.” Here’s a recap of last night’s event. The presentation was attended by about 150 people and, based on a quick show of hands, I had the impression that most […]
La-Z-Boy, the furniture company, recently launched a magazine print campaign, which features a QR Code. To begin, the QR Code is prominently displayed in the ad and next to the code is copy (Scan this QR Code to learn more about the furniture featured in this ad.), which serves three functions, 1) it instructs the […]
As a company considers the use of 2D barcodes for advertising, promotion or general business purposes, the one question that will inevitably be raised or asked by the organization’s marketing and/or creative team is, how should we select a 2D barcode provider? Before delving into this subject matter, let’s first define what is and/or makes […]
This morning, it was reported that Augme purchased JAGTAG for approximately $5.25 million. Over the past several months, there has been some speculation about whether or not the 2D barcode industry will start to see some consolidation of providers/platforms, is this the opening salvo? One item to note or question about the purchase. The press […]
Tom’s of Maine, the all-natural toothpaste company, recently launched a full-page print ad that features a Microsoft Tag. The company does a good job informing the reader of the ad about how to scan the Tag, where to download the Tag reader app and what the Tag will resolve to but, as we have seen […]
On July 25th, Mobile Monday, the global community of mobile industry visionaries, developers and influentials, will host a sold-out panel discussion and debate on the “State of the Mobile Barcode,” and has been kind enough to invite me as a panel member. The event will discuss topics such as whether or not mainstream America is […]
For those who regularly follow this blog, as well as for those who may have been referred here, please allow me to apologize for any inconvenience that you may have experienced the past day or two with respect to locating the blog’s new URL address. In summary, yesterday, a most unexpected administrative glitch occurred and […]
The other day, Zappos, the online retailer, announced via a New York Times article that a new multi-channel advertising campaign will be launched in the next few weeks and, when it does, QR Codes will be featured in their magazine print ads. The premise behind the campaign is to promote the fact that Zappos is much more than shoes and […]
For the past couple of months, Boccia Titanium, a men’s and women’s watch and jewelery manufacturer, has been running a QR Code-based advertisement in The New York Times. The ad features one of their men’s watches, and displayed in the ad is a QR Code with no explanation, instructions or call-to-action attached (if memory serves, as I […]
On Business Insider, Dan Frommer wrote an article titled “Death To The QR Code.” I have a couple of comments and questions for Mr. Frommer. Below is his article with my comments and questions in italics. I apologize for the length of the post. DF: “Over the past few years, “QR codes” — those square, […]
BMO Financial Group recently launched this print advertisement in The New York Times, and featured in the ad is a QR Code. We don’t often see a financial services company make use of 2D, so this one could be interesting. Then again, maybe not. When I first saw the code, I thought it would not […]
Last year, I did a simple analysis on terms found in the 2D barcode space and, after receiving a comment by a member of my LinkedIn group (2D/QR Barcode Strategy and Creative), I thought to revisit the research and provide an update. The charts below are from Google Trends and serve to illustrate the search […]
Valpak, one of the leading direct marketing companies in North America, is teaming up with SPARQ.ME (formerly SPARQCode) to launch a new direct mail package on behalf of two of its partners, TNT and HGTV. Valpak wanted to deliver greater value for these two companies above and beyond a simple print advertisement, and thought QR […]
Earlier in the year, I was invited by PSFK, a leading New York-based marketing and trend spotting consultancy, to sit on a panel and discuss the topic of mobile tagging. The video of the panel discussion has just been released by PSFK and can be viewed here. An article recapping the event can be found […]
Indie 101.3, a Los Angles-based radio station, has started to advertise using designer QR Codes. This particular code, which was crafted by Warbasse Design, resolves to a mobile website where people can listen to the Bob Forrest show “All Up In The Interweb.” The advertisement provides solid instructions on what to do regarding the code […]
Marquis on Marketing 