Emily Davis presents information on QR codes in September 2011. QR codes are 2D barcodes that can be scanned by smartphones to access various online functions, such as websites, contact info, videos, or initiate actions like placing calls or texts. Davis explains how QR codes are being used by large companies and smaller businesses, the necessary hardware and software to use them, best practices for implementation, and statistics on who scans QR codes and where they are found. She encourages using QR codes as a low-cost marketing tool to drive customers online and stay ahead of competitors.

1. QR codes
What they are
and why you should care
Emily Davis, September 2011
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

2. Who am I?
• What do I do?
– Digital Marketer for Firehoop
www.firehoop.com
• Where did I come from?
– CIM post-graduate, Academic Publishing, Retail, and
Financial Services marketing experience
• Where can you find me?
– On Twitter as @emilyevelina
– Part of the Digitalks team, Cheltenham
– Co-manage Social Media Club, Cheltenham
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

3. Why am I talking about QR codes?
Firehoop has developed QR Seen:
QR Code generator and campaign tracking tool
www.qrseen.com for inspiration and resources for QR code marketing
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

4. What are QR codes?
• 2D bar codes
• Scanned with a smartphone
• Resolve to a variety of functions
– Website
– Contact details
– Video
– Music download
– SMS text, email, a text-based note
– Any function that a mobile device can perform
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

5. What do you need?
Consumer
• Smartphone with camera
• QR code scanning app
(available free from your phone’s app store)
You
• Code generator (many free online, but beware of
quality issues)
• Something to print it on
• A campaign! (Don’t just use them for the sake of it)
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

6. How are they being used?
The Big Boys
• Tesco Korea
Opened virtual store in underground train
stations to become no. 1 online retailer.
• Used product images accompanied by QR
codes.
• Goods delivered by the time customers got
home.
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

7. Image source: geek.com
Watch http://youtu.be/nJVoYsBym88
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

8. How are they being used?
The Big Boys
• Bulmers Cider
QR codes added to bottles linking to a survey
asking a series of questions such as ‘what sort of
socialiser are you?’
• Adds a bit of fun to the product complementing
the social aspect of drinking.
• Bulmers can now track different product lines and
gather email addresses for future marketing.
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

9. Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

10. How are they being used?
The Clever Guys
• The World Park campaign
Central Park, NY wanted to reach out to a new
demographic of younger people.
• Added QR codes around the park resolving to
a variety of ‘added value’ information.
• Videos of movie scenes shot in the park,
orchestras playing in the amphitheatre, and
historic facts about the geography of the park.
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

11. Image source: mobilebehaviour.com
Watch http://youtu.be/D7JRfz9Jc_M
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

12. How are they being used?
The Clever Guys
• Brickhampton Golf Course
A local example of adding value to attract and
retain customers.
• QR code added to hole on the course to give
tips and guidance on how to play the shot.
• Also gave golfers a challenge for the hole for
added competition.
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

13. Pointless QR codes
Don’t bother when:
• It’s online
Don’t put them on a website or in an email (unless
there is benefit to printing it out). Remember, you want
to take customers from offline to online.
• It can’t be scanned
Don’t put them out of scanning distance, on a moving
vehicle, somewhere that will be obscured, or on
clothing which won’t be flat e.g. a scarf.
• The code doesn’t work
Your code might not work if there’s not enough
contrast, or it’s not the correct size or quality.
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

14. Ask yourself
• Where is it going?
• Will people have enough time to scan it?
• Is the code too complex?
• Does it have enough contrast?
• Have I tested it in situ?
Lots of free code generators available but beware of poor quality and
high complexity codes (it will be harder to scan).
You don’t have to keep it black and white but do ensure it has enough
contrast so scanning apps can read the data.
There’s nothing worse than a printed code that doesn’t work.
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

15. Why should you care?
• Relatively inexpensive
• Relevant for any size of business
• Gets your business in people’s pockets!
• Measurable
• Reusable (if you use the right campaign tool!)
QR Seen lets you to manage where your printed
codes resolve to and see when, how and where
they were scanned.
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

16. Why should you care?
• Growing popularity of QR codes
– New Windows Phone 7 has built in QR code scanner
• Increasing adoption of smartphones
– 40% of all mobile phones in US
(Nielson, Sep ‘11)
– 52% of total mobile phone shipments in UK
(IDC, Sep ‘11)
• Big brands driving adoption
BBC (Good Cook), Harley Davidson, Betfair
• No reason not to get involved now – stay ahead
of the competition and in people’s pockets!
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

17. Who scans them?
• Men 60%
• Women 30%
Age QR Code Audience
13-17 7.4%
18-24 16.6%
25-34 36.8%
35-44 19.6%
45-54 12.4%
55-64 4.1%
65+ 3.0% Source: comscore.com
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

18. Where are they found?
Location QR Code
Audience
Magazine or newspaper 49.4%
Product packaging 35.3%
Website 27.4%
Poster or flyer 23.5%
Business card or brochure 12.4%
Storefront / window displays 12.8%
TV 11.7%
Source: comscore.com
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

19. So what do I do now?
• Go to www.qrseen.com
• Enter your email address
• We’ll keep you up to date with all the latest
information and creative ideas.
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com

20. Thank you...
Keeping track of codes www.qrseen.com