QR codes: More hype than marketing tool ?

Let’s get one thing clear; technology is not going to save brands from bad marketing.  The latest hype is around QR codes but think about this for a second.  First someone has to have the QR code reader app on their smart phone, than they have to take out their smart phone to activate the app and then wait for a web page or SMS text message to load.  Now wouldn’t it just be easier to send someone to a webpage instead ?   There are uses for QR codes but it’s not for the masses.

QR codes may be popular among marketers, but the vast majority of consumers (64%) don’t know what they are for.   According to a survey of 794 online respondents by Simpson Carpenter, just 36% of consumers know what QR codes are for, while 11% have actually used them?   Amongst the 11% of respondents that had actually used a QR code, just under half (47%) said they found them very useful and would like to see them more widely available, a third (33%) found them useful on certain occasions and don’t mind using them.  However, a fifth (20%) think they don’t really offer any advantages and don’t expect to use them in future.

52% of respondents didn’t have a device that was capable of scanning QR codes, while 15% said they haven’t seen a QR code for any website they are interested in and 11% considered that there are other ways of getting to websites that are simpler, quicker and more convenient.

So can QR codes be used as a marketing tool ?  That depends on how well you know your audience.  A consumer, for example, probably is more likely to use a QR code to get more information about a new flat screen TV at the local Best Buy because there are a lot of features to compare. However that same consumers probably will not use a QR code to learn more about a new fruit juice or candybar.

Rather than direct people to a webpage using QR codes you could use vanity URL’s like “it’s delicious.com” to introduce consumers to a new food product.  The key is to keep it simple and keep it memorable.   For drug marketers QR codes offer very little advantage because people often want a lot of information on prescription drugs and QR code sku’s towards a younger audience.

For now let those people who believe the hype use QR codes.  Just focus on treating your employees better than your customers and ensure that your brand experience is a good one and you will have successes.