Is the QR Code the comeback kid?
QR Codes are weird. Let’s face it — the jumble of black blocks and hypnotising shapes are less than aesthetically pleasing. But, after a recent trip to Thailand, I couldn’t help noticing how prolific these little squares were. From tourist information boards to cafés and even pad Thai street food carts on the (infamous) Khao San Road; I couldn’t help but ask is the QR Code a comeback kid?
A quick refresher on the history of the QR (Quick Response) Code — these 2D barcodes were created over 20 years ago due to the limitations encountered with the standard alphanumeric barcode we’re much more familiar with. These complex squares can hold 300 times the amount of data and could be scanned/read about 10x faster that the traditional 1D barcode.
Talk about digital disruption, right? So if the QR Code has been around for this long and is this valuable — how come they’ve been a bit of a damp squib in the consumer-sphere?
East and West
When taking a step back, in 2017 it seemed that the QR Code was once again the talk of the town. With the underlying tone being, that if these did become the next big thing for marketing — all that was apparent was that Europe and the West were playing catch up with what Asia and the East had been doing since the mid-90’s.
So how influential is the location to QR Codes booming; and why?
According to survey carried out by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Visa Inc., and GfK — QR Codes account for a staggering 4%, globally, of all consumer digital transaction. To give a little context, that is double that of contactless methods.
It then comes as no surprise that in a separate 2015 survey, China was the leading country in terms of people who had scanned a QR Code whilst shopping.
With advancements around the biggest social network platform in the world, WeChat, comes WeChat Pay. Which allows in-app and QR Code payments by its users; virtually eliminating the need for cash — simply scan and go.
Which now explains the pad Thai carts!
Limitations and Rivals
You need a third party app to read these confounding splotches, right?
Wrong. Well, for Apple’s iOS 11+ users’ anyway.
This low key, almost hidden update, is what Hootsuite’s Ryan Holmes pitted as changing the rules of marketing. By making QR Codes more accessible and less cumbersome; removes the limitations that have been holding this technology back.
But what about the rivals?
Near-field communication (NFC) is the main challenger — think Apple Pay and Google Wallet. Whilst this certainly has advantages (speed, ease and no need for an ugly code) there are also large disadvantages (cost and compatible devices) which in some markets is still very limiting to the uptake of NFC vs QR Codes.
NFC is a great alternative for payments and close proximity sharing of data between friends — but when it comes to the potential and possibilities that QR Codes offer — it is hard to rate them on the same scale.
Getting Social
Moving past the commercial elements, QR Codes have also been creeping their way into our social sphere. With Instagram and SnapChat both leveraging the technology to allow users to scan each other’s codes’ for searching and following. With WhatsApp using them to allow you to load conversations between mobile and desktop devices in a hassle free way.
With social, naturally comes interactive elements for AR and VR — with Porsche using them as a strong foundation for their immersive experience that takes users to a separate microsite where users can digitally-craft all the elements of their dream car.
When it comes to using QR Codes for your business, the most obvious route is on print materials — ranging from menus to flyers, and even business cards. Which is where the material used really does make the difference — with TheTin placing them on thin metal cards — which is when we realised that QR Codes need to have a solid contrast to work, and ours, well, whilst engraved were a bit rubbish.
So, are QR Codes the comeback kid?
To be honest, no.
But rather these nifty little squares, are more of the thought leader, the rebel and the pioneer with seemingly endless uses when it comes to a transfer of data between devices.
That is when used in the right way, with the right audience — QR Codes are a great, cost effective way to engage with customers and ultimately tap into more sales as the smartphone use worldwide skyrockets. Though, as we learned, when used in the wrong way — whoops! — they are a pretty useless and rather ugly.
What we’ve learned is that you don’t need to reinvent something when it already works. Or to put it simply, use the right tool for the right job. Which is what we, at TheTin, do… using technology to solve brand problems, not just for the sake of it.
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