QR (quick response - "fast response"). QR codes appeared in 1994 in Japan, where they quickly gained popularity. In the digital marketing of Ukraine, the use of the QR code began actively in 2011, and covered various areas: trade, advertising, logistics, production. But we want to dwell on the topic of using a QR code for advertising purposes.
Everyone knows that QR codes are often used by almost all successful entrepreneurs and companies. And it’s not uncommon for a QR code to bring any visible benefit to an enterprise, but it has already taken its place among the prestigious attributes of the business. A misunderstanding of the role of the QR code and a blind desire to follow fashion trends lead to its meaningless use and inefficiency.
What is the principle of the QR code?
If you want to access encrypted information, you must have a smartphone with a QR code reader. This is the whole principle - a person launches a program for scanning a code on a tablet or his smartphone (with a camera), after which it is necessary to point the camera lens at the code and get the information that is embedded in it.
But there are some subtleties of using this code in advertising campaigns, despite the apparent simplicity, which we now talk about in order to get the most out of their use.
Do you need QR codes for your target audience?
We must not forget that QR codes are designed for people who have smartphones and are versed in modern technologies. Why is this so important? For example, your potential clients - villagers, elderly people or avid conservatives, they will not just not be able to, they will not even want to use such a service, which will not give you any result. This technology is most suitable for people who follow new trends and possess information on the use of codes, i.e. for the progressive population of our country.
If your target audience is such, you can safely implement a QR code. If not, then it’s better to wait and refrain from wasting time and effort.
How to achieve the necessary goals using a QR code?
A QR code is not a “pill for all diseases”, it is one of the latest tools that can be introduced into a company's marketing campaign.
Why do people scan QR codes? What is their motive? First of all, this is curiosity, interest and the desire to unravel the code, in addition - it is the desire to be “in trend” and keep up with the times. Knowing this, you can easily use the internal desires of people to develop their business.
Play with people! Give the QR code an element of mystery, create the necessary intrigue, and also show people that they can get exclusive and valuable if they decrypt the QR code. These tricks will at times increase the number of people who want to know his secret.
And now we will tell you about very successful examples of using QR codes
The technology of QR codes has already been used by various entertainment centers, cafes and restaurants. Especially, this is typical for metropolitan institutions. There are various application schemes, but the most common are: an encrypted menu in a QR code, interesting information about a dish or an institution, various promotional offers. It became popular to place QR codes on bottles of wine, which makes it possible for the client to find out more information about wine, grape variety, etc.
Not only private entrepreneurs understand the world of modernity and the introduction of modern technologies, but also the public sector. Thus, in 2013 it is planned to sell tickets for Ukrainian train railway transport via the Internet using a QR code. Also, in Lviv, the most significant tourist sites were equipped with QR codes, which makes it possible to obtain information about monuments, monuments, buildings, in several languages.
Also, certain food brands took up the initiative to use QR codes: the Svitoch company encrypts messages on candy boxes.
In countries where the boom of QR codes has passed much earlier, you will not surprise anyone with the traditional code on, packaging, building, restaurant, etc. And they had to go further, turning QR codes into real masterpieces of art. For example, in China they created a huge cake in the form of a QR code. It took 245 kg of chocolate, about 750 kg of condensed milk, as well as 730 kg of cottage cheese and 390 kg of butter to make it, while in Portugal they placed a QR code on a street tile. It encrypted information about the outstanding places of the country. And in Canada, the code was trimmed on a farm field, and it can only be counted from the air.
There are also very unusual applications for QR codes. So, in Austria they plan to place QR codes on the graves so that you can find out information about buried people. And in Japan it has already been implemented.
How to create your own QR code?
Since QR codes were not licensed, anyone can generate them completely free of charge. To do this, you must have a QR code generator program or on free services where you can do this (for example, foxtools
