Strawberry Flavored QR Codes! Execution or Technology Problem?
The Quick Response (QR) Code has become all the rage as of late. Open nearly any magazine, even the smutty ones, and you’ll see a QR code. Travel down the aisles of your local grocer and these little coded beacons call out to you, “scan me!”. And now that QR scanners are actually becoming stable on smart phones there might be some use for these bits of black and white. Or is there?
Personally, I’m not sold on QR codes. There are many reasons, many of which still do remain in the “it’s just simply too hard to bother doing” bucket. But my real problem is in the execution of the codes themselves. These codes are simply glorified URLs. Whether they take you to a website or a video, they are only a transport to a locale on the web. This is no different than any other marketing tool, just more difficult to use. Let’s use an example to elaborate on my whining.
QR Codes: Breakfast of Champions
During breakfast one morning I grabbed the strawberries out of the fridge to slice them up for my boys. While putting them back into the fridge I noticed this promotion on the inside of the container. They are offering me a “Win-Win!”. Well, that’s always useful. All I have to do is “Scan our QR code” or visit their website. Um, ok. Why not just tell me first that I could win $100 and then just give me the URL?
Certainly scanning the QR code will make it easier for me, and I certainly appreciate that since I might not remember the URL. Now before you get all angry in the comments, I do give these folks credit, and lots of it, for trying something new and donating money to charity as a part of the deal. And, of course, they kindly tell me to “Wash before eating”, always a good point. But I’m just not sold on flipping this container over to snap that pesky QR, but I will. Know why? For you, my reader!
Using my iPhone with the AT&T scanner I quickly, yes quickly, grabbed the QR code. Not surprisingly it took me to the URL that was printed in the offer itself. On that URL was a banner ad for the actual “Win-Win” promotion. Being the curious type that I am I planted my finger on that banner and was taken to another page. So, at this point, I’ve:
Read an advertisement
Snapped a QR code
Traveled through the interwebs to a website
Clicked on a banner ad
And now I’m faced with a….wait for it….form ———->
Poor QR Code Strategy and Execution? Or Limited Technology?
One could argue, and I’m thinking that argument could come from Aaron himself, or our friend Tim Hayden, that this is simply just a tough execution of QR code usage. In fact, this may be their first foray into this type of campaign, and in a few months I’ll be mocked for my critique. But, I’m not buying it, not until I see some really killer execution of QR codes that does not treat it simply like a mechanism to travel to a web page.
What say you? Are QR Codes the future of interactive marketing and communications, or a another hurdle towards interaction and engagement? Leave your comments below or hit me up on the Twitter or the Plus.
I agree that today most QR code campaigns are not worth the fumbling. I would be surprised however, if at some point soon we DIDN’T see a brilliant, scan-worthy execution that makes us all slap our heads and wonder why “WE didn’t think of that!?”
Todd, so you fall into the “it’s the execution” area on this topic. You might be right, I just think with NFC and RFID about to come to all our phones the QR code is already antiquated.
Kyle, you just landed in my “Buck Rogers” circle on G+ with your visions of ubiquitous RFID and NFC. And, seriously, you are spot-on with your dig on the execution of this campaign. The gap for most marketers (or, their “agents”) using QR codes is in scripting, designing and EXECUTING the experience from start to finish: When/Where? Why scan? What’s the value/relevancy and *wow* of the experience. QR codes alone are not a channel or a platform, but a stage in the relationship cycle…and as long as there are URLs, there will be QR codes.
Tim,
Buck Rogers was my fave show growing up, so thank you! I understand they are a stage, I guess I’m wondering if they are a stage that actually creates a barrier, versus a staget that transports you along the experience. I guess that will depend on the execution?
/kff
Kyle/Tim – wrote my Facebook comment before I landed here. I’m definitely in Tim’s camp. Oh, and hello Mr. Defren.
All the world’s indeed a “stage” and we are merely players. Because I know where, when and who is scanning one of our codes, we duly “transport” scanners to an appropriate/relevant destination.
Agree with Tim Hayden and Aaron — just crappy execution. But then, there is a lot of that out there..
@TomMartin
But what “camp” is that? I just don’t see the argument for QR codes yet, even as a “stage”. Nobody seems to have good examples. I want to be proven wrong here folks!
/kff
To me the think QR Codes have over RFID and NFC is the low barrier to entry. I guess I would fall in to the execution camp. I think if you look at QR Codes as just a short cut to a url anyone could have navigated to anyway then you’re missing the point. It’s what you do after the barcode is scanned that makes it engaging. So far I’ve yet to personally see anything well executed. I have a few ideas for some guerrilla style QR code “campaigns” that I think would be fun.
Tim, but I can do that through other venues that are easier than QR codes. Eliminating barriers of entry.
/kff
I agree 100% with Todd. It takes planning and proper execution to do this right. This one wasn’t done well. I would have made the code scan directly to the contest form.
NFC and RFID are great technologies, and would be great in this type of application. But, are they not a lot more expensive than the QR Code to pull off? Besides, how would you put one in a magazine or newspaper? I know they can make those chips paper thin, but it seems it would be a lot more hassle to deliver it versus printing a QR Code. I will agree, though, that a “wave” would be a lot easier to get someone to do than a “scan.”
Even with a “wave,” there had better be good execution on the other end or it’ll still be a waste of time for the customer.
Jeremy, and I think that is my point. I have not seen nor heard of a well executed campaign yet that didn’t simply take me to a URL or a video. I hope I do soon though, because I want to use them, I really do!
/kff
Elmer, a good point, going direct to the form would have been easier, but it still doesn’t tell me why the QR code was needed on a box of strawberries when the URL they listed was short and took me right to the form for the contest.
Seems like the QR code is just an extra step in most cases.
/kff
Kyle,
I see where you’re coming from. To me, though, it’s a user perspective thing.
I’d rather scan a code than tap a in a URL on my phone. If I had the magazine (or package, as in this case) near my iPad or computer, I’d more likely type in the address.
Give the people more than one option to get to where you want them to go.
I’m with Elmer on QR codes being much easier than typing URLs on mobile devices or trying to remember a URL in most cases. However, Kyle I hear you on the number of click-thrus to get to the lame payoff. How to avoid this? If a QR code is just a handy URL replacement, then put a tagline explaining that with the QR code to set expectations (and don’t make people have numerous click-thrus once they get there) or if a marketer is trying to be truly innovative (like our buddy, Tim Hayden) then wow them with something unexpected when they arrive at the Web page. And for me personally, I will get really excited about QR codes when there is high-quality Dark Chocolate involved ; – )
Kyle – for the majority of the ~38% of smartphone users in the US, scanning a QR code takes less than half the time it takes to type a URL or check in to a LBS application/site. The same push-button native hopes you have for NFC are avail today, to anyone with a mobile phone (camera-equipped) via a QR code…and for any of the above to have an impact or work, marketers have to orchestrate the before-during-after experience. <– "stages"
I was just sitting with my wife as she was perusing the August issue of Better Homes & Gardens. In it there was a fun Progressive ad with a Where’s Waldo-esque game to find Flo in a stadium crowd. At the bottom was a QR code, which I scanned, thinking about the exchange here. The URL it lead to was an online, multi-level game with the aim to find Flo in various crowd pictures.
This, I submit, is a great use of a QR code. Easy to use, not too much “selling” and fun. Had the California Giant fruit company worked it like this, we might be having quite a different conversation.
I don’t want to get too far into the debate side of this, but I will say that I think QR codes have potential. They’re just waiting to find their spot, and until then people are using them for everything and anything they can think of.
But, if you want an example of QR codes done well, watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGaVFRzTTP4
(Spoiler: It’s grocery shopping in the subway using QR codes.)
Elmer, thanks for the update. Now that does sound like awesome execution of a QR code. Did they also include a URL for those not fami,air with QR?
Thanks for being the Q’n'D investigative reporte
/kff
Kyle – Ah, you discovered a potential flaw in Progressive’s effort – not only was there no link to the game, there was no link to their web site at all. They did, however, have an ad on an adjacent page with their full contact info, including address of their web site.
Given how I see Progressive work, they probably intended this piece to be a soft-selling fun thing to boost brand recognition while using the other ad for more selling. Given the amount of advertising they do, they can probably afford to “take a break” on this one. Still, printing the address to the game would have probably helped increase “click” rates.
John – That is an excellent example of using QR codes. Thanks for sharing that one.
[...] about QR Codes on the “Quick ‘n’ Dirty” blog started by Kyle Flaherty: Strawberry Flavored QR Codes! Execution or Technology Problem? Check out the debate and see what you think. Be sure to check out the video John Johansen shared in [...]
I was just at a friend’s house talking about social media and reputation management. He owns a restaurant and was wondering how to encourage his customers to post reviews on Yelp, Urban Spoon, and the like. I suggested he set up a sign by the cash register reading, “Please tell others about your experience here” and QR Codes linking to their page on 3-4 of the more popular rating sites. This would make it easier for customers to tell others about their place. Of course, they’d also need to print short URLs as well for the QR uninitiated.
Elmer, great idea. If your friend ends up doing it let us know. I’d love to do a follow up post highlighting the use case.
/kff
[...] at the beginning of August, I was part of a great discussion over at the Quick ‘n’ Dirty Podcast blog about QR Codes. Kyle Flaherty found a great example of how not to use them. In the comments, I mentioned there [...]