Creative QR codes can instantly connect people to your brand via mobile
Quick Response codes are being given a designer makeover in a bid to enhance their attractiveness to members of the public.
A 30% margin of tolerance in the readability of QR codes has given designers the chance to add a splash of colour and flair to their designs.
Besides looking good, this also makes them more successful, as witnessed by the QR code designed for Carnaby, London, which by introducing colour-coding increased the hit rate to carnaby.co.uk by 258%.
The Drum spoke to Patrick Donnelly ofPatrick Donnelly of 2ergo and QR blog QR Arts about how getting creative with QR campaigns could change the way businesses think about their mobile marketing strategies.
“If you were being mysterious with QR Codes three years ago you were destined for fame, but now they are everywhere. So how can you make your campaign stand out? Putting a code on an ad by itself without instructions no longer works: people want to be entertained and to know that there is something of value behind that code. The real question becomes – how can I use mobile marketing to engage consumers through a great user experience to develop relationships with them?
“So where does QR fit in? There is more advertising today than ever before, and there is less time and attention to absorb any of it. In today’s world of advertising pollution, QR codes are a great visual call to action that can instantly connect people to your brand via mobile.
“A creative QR campaign can be the spark that leads to a sale, or even a viral campaign that spreads throughout Twitter and Facebook. However, since QR codes are now ‘mainstream’, companies need to think creatively about a QR code campaign and how it how QR campaigns can change the way you think about mobile marketing fits within their marketing mix.
“There are three main ways to get your campaign noticed. Firstly, use a great call to action to let your users know why they should care about scanning your code. This can either be implied or written out through the use of copy.
“Next, consider the use of a designer QR code. Through the use of color, textures, and graphic interpretations of the code, QR codes can become beautiful pieces of art that people will go out of their way to scan.
“And finally, have a clever or unique user experience that will set off a word of mouth campaign (social networks or person to person).”
10 examples of attention-grabbing creative QR code campaign ideas.
4. SET Japan’s FRISK mint viral video
5. Tesco Subway QR code shopping experience
6. Qr Code Crossword puzzle – Scan resolves to answers
7. QR kill game - Essentially a Mobile phone enabled game of freeze tag
8. Zoo records – guerilla marketing
9. Put your QR code on something that will get noticed – Pretty girls or Racecars