12 ms·

Dear Marketers: Enough with the QR codes

146 points by kposehn 14y ago

asolove 14y ago
I think this boils down to the basic rule: don't disrespect your audience. I keep going to meetings where people suggest using QR codes to advertise a product. And I ask the obvious question: when have you ever scanned a QR code and learned about/bought something? No one can ever answer. But there's a vague sense that somewhere, out there, "those people" are using QR codes. What's funny is no one seems to know who this is. Among the hip, young, techy people at a startup, it is assumed QR codes are for technically-illiterate old people who don't know what a URL is. Among well-dressed, professional adults, it is assumed they are for all the young, hip people with their smartphone addictions. I assume someone uses QR codes, but I don't know who, and I don't see why they are popping up in so many places.
- ImprovedSilence 14y ago
  I think QR codes have a place. But I don't think advertisers know where that place is yet. QR codes on products I may buy -> bad, terrible, everything this comic describes. But if it happens to be an event (free concert in the park, grand opening of awesome new store, whatever) and it's on a poster somewhere about town, I like this, cuz maybe I'll be like, "hmm, blues fest sounds like fun, lemme just scan this in, and I'll have all the deets for it on my phone. If it's a QR code on my bottled water, well that's just a waste of space.
  - evilduck 14y ago
    Disclaimer: This is tangential to the scope of what the comic was complaining about. Bottled water may be a waste because water is pretty indistinguishable from its competitors outside of visual design of the product container, but not everything is so generic. I bought a bag of granola the other day that had a QR code on the back that I thought worked well. As I idly sat at my breakfast table last week, I was reading the back of the bag and thought "this stuff is pretty damn good, I wonder what their QR code does?" I scanned it and was sent to their site where they displayed their entire product line, leading me to discover a different variety of their product I wanted to try (and have since purchased). Since I was groggy and not feeling very interactive at 6am, the bag of granola probably couldn't have convinced me to type in a URL into my phone no matter how tasty their product was, so I'd say their QR code worked (typing URLs is comparatively a lot of work compared to two taps of my phone to scan QRs) As a product discovery mechanism I think they're probably ok, especially for existing customers that may like your brand but may not know everything about you. I don't think they'd be great on billboards or television ads, but as part of a product label design, I think it's a great way to provide more information to the consumer than would otherwise fit in that space.
- anigbrowl 14y ago
  I find them quite convenient, and prefer using my smartphone to photograph a QR code than trying to tap out some arbitrary URL.
  - deltazero 14y ago
    I don't think I'm stopping in the middle of the street just to scan a QR code...
- brk 14y ago
  when have you ever scanned a QR code and learned about/bought something? Shopping for dishwashers in-store, even after doing lots of online research. The in-store display tags have very minimal info. Best Buy has/had a QRCode on each product that took you to a webpage for that item with a lot more info, reviews, etc. It was one of the main reasons I actually bought a dishwasher AT Best Buy instead of elsewhere.
  - jetti 14y ago
    That is a good use for them. Recently I saw one on a company's van which just baffled my mind. I don't know if they wanted somebody to come up while the van was parked and scan the QR code but it was just stupid and goes in line with what the article is saying.
    - natesm 14y ago
      My favorite New York subway ad (besides Zizmor) is something like "Have bedbugs?" and it offers you some "bedbugs apps" if you scan it, which is great because: 1. I've recently been looking for a good way to let a crowded train know that I probably have bedbugs on my clothing. 2. Internet access is really good underground.
      - corin_ 14y ago
        I'm afraid I can top you in "worst use of QR on underground travel" (this one in London): https://p.twimg.com/AneZAsiCAAATy1Q.jpg:large https://p.twimg.com/AneZAsiCAAATy1Q.jpg:large
        dspillett 14y ago
        They never learn... Some time ago (early/mid 90s I think) there was a particular problem with pickpockets in the Kings Cross area so an awareness campaign was started with similar posters. The problem got worse. Why? Often people walking past the posters would, consciously or otherwise, check the pockets their wallet or other valuables were in - this helped improve an observant pick-pocket's hit rate.
- dabent 14y ago
  > When have you ever scanned a QR code and learned about/bought something? Saturday I used a QR code when I was in a store, trying to get more details on a grill I was thinking of buying. I guess it worked, because I got more information and got the grill. I laughed when QR codes came out, but can think of more than just that instance when I started using them. QR codes are ugly, but their success relies on them being a path to information that has real value to the target audience.
  - troymc 14y ago
    I agree that's a nice use case (to get details about a grill in a store), but it's not an example of advertising. Even for that use case, QR codes seem like an interim solution, while we wait for better recognition apps (photo [of object or tag] -> recognition software -> search -> detailed info about object). An example of this is the Google Goggles app (which is not to be confused with Google Glass): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Goggles https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Goggles
    - dabent 14y ago
      That's a good point. There's not much real use for a QR code being on a billboard/or vehicle. Also, I think QR codes will have their day, then be replaced by superior technology.
  - Revisor 14y ago
    What's the store's purpose then if you have to go online while being physically present to get more product info? Was there no knowledgeable staff? No product flyers/labels?
    - dabent 14y ago
      > What's the store's purpose? It's really just a warehouse where I could pick up my merchandise. > Was there no knowledgeable staff? No, and That's certainly not the trend these days. I did ask an associate if I could just take the assembled grill to the cash register (and I could). Your comment made me think about the real purpose of brick-and-mortar stores in the age of Amazon. In this case, the big-box retailer served as merely a display room for me to physically inspect the product and a place for me to take immediate delivery of the product. All the information gathering can be done by me, using the information on the box, or through my mobile device (with the QR code being the relevant portion of this discussion). > No product flyers/labels? If used properly, a QR code (or whatever vector allows me to find information online) can provide much more information than labels or flyers.
- allardschip 14y ago
  Every time I am in a meeting about QR codes I share this: http://wtfqrcodes.com/ http://wtfqrcodes.com/ We all have a good laugh and then somehow, no one wants to suggest QR codes anymore.
- cema 14y ago
  Well, just a few days ago I was trying the new system in our apartment complex where we can use a credit card to add value to the smart card that is used in the local washer and drier systems. I had to type in the url to get it going. Well, I used the smartphone keyboard and got it in with a minimal number of typos which I quickly corrected, but you know what? If they had a QR code that I could scan, it would be just a couple of taps and a couple of seconds and much, much more convenient.
- gala8y 14y ago
  I assume someone uses QR codes, but I don't know who, and I don't see why they are popping up in so many places. They live in Japan. QRs are very old news there. I couldn't really tell more (I've never been to Japan) but this must be it. Anyone with ground level expertise?
  - nikatwork 14y ago
    I can confirm this, they are everywhere and people seem to like them. Eg, I was handed a flyer for a random nightclub with a QR code on it for cheap entry. You just scanned the QR code then showed your mobile at the door for a discount. This was 5 years ago too (Tokyo, Shinjuku/Shibuya).
    - dan1234 14y ago
      How is that better than just showing the flyer at the door to get the discount?
      - JonWood 14y ago
        They can track response rates for particular flyers by pointing them at different URLs. Measurable A/B testing for physical advertising.
        Revisor 14y ago
        They can print A/B versions of flyers and collect them upon entry. No QR needed for this kind of measuring. :)
      - nikatwork 14y ago
        because you're likely to lose the flyer, and it's a PITA to carry it around. You're always gonna keep your mobile though.
- jaaron 14y ago
  Westside Rentals uses them on their displays in LA and I've often used the QR code to check out the details of the listing when walking by in Santa Monica.
- camtarn 14y ago
  Poster in my train station: "Our timetables are being updated. Scan these QR codes to download them to your phone." Below that were eight pictures of timetables, showing their color-coded covers so you could identify them from the paper timetable you might already have, with a QR code on each one. Below those were instructions on how to download a QR code reader if you didn't have one already. QR codes for info are awesome.
- duaneb 14y ago
  I actually use QR codes a lot... but never in marketing situations (my office has them for internal links around the building).
- gaius 14y ago
  It depends on your target demographic: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/310173 http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/310173
- jps359 14y ago
  Well, I don't think QR codes are inherently offensive, and if some people use them, why not? I would only say that it's a bad idea if the only point of ref on it is a QR code, but if a typed out website name is included, what could it hurt? I'm also solely talking about QR codes in advertising.
- beej71 14y ago
  I scanned one once, but it was to learn more about a museum exhibit. :) My personal favorite was when I found one on a banana sticker. I didn't try it, though.
sjs382 14y ago
If people didn't scan them, the statistics that go along with them are useless. People do scan them, though.
CookWithMe 14y ago
Plus, they hang in the most ridiculous places: On billboards high in the air, on a highway, across subway tracks... I have no idea how to scan these. Well, maybe if I use a DSLR but not with the average smartphone.
tthomas48 14y ago
I feel like this article is backwards. QR codes are still the best way to transfer from print to phone. The problem is most people are still transferring from print ad to phone ad. My theater company uses it to send people from our poster to our ticket buying site (and let you know where the QR code goes). There's genuine utility here. Don't throw out the useful application because so many are doing it wrong.
- PhrosTT 14y ago
  The issue is you're one of a few using them correctly. Most implementations are unlabeled, no indication what it does or why I should bother.
- ketralnis 14y ago
  > My theater company uses it to send people from our poster to our ticket buying site (and let you know where the QR code goes) Can you share any numbers as to their effectiveness in real life?
calinet6 14y ago
Especially the QR-codes that aren't QR codes. I honestly tried to scan a new style barcode that wasn't QR, that literally said below it "Please download the SomethingCode app to read this barcode." Never have I sworn out loud so fervently at a magazine, or so quickly sworn off purchasing from that (rather large) company.
- Karunamon 14y ago
  You swear at magazines and boycott a company because they ask you to download an app? Wow. Perhaps consider anger management classes?
ctingom 14y ago
Home Depot had a QR code linking to a YouTube video showing how to install a garbage disposal. It was right by the product.
- ben1040 14y ago
  This seems like it would be an actual good use of a QR code, if it was specifically labeled as "Scan this to see how to install this product." On the other hand, I just got a bill from my exterminator service. And lo and behold right there next to their address block on the invoice was their URL and an unlabeled QR code. Why in the heck would I ever bother scanning that? Having it there just screams "the owner's kid nephew said that QR codes are all the rage so we had better get one on our invoice."
  - canthonytucci 14y ago
    I would bet that it took you to their website. Most unlabeled QR codes are just there to save you from typing.
  - bostonvaulter2 14y ago
    Yes, I really hate QR codes that have no labels at all, how am I supposed to know if I want to actually read the content at the other end?
- 3pt14159 14y ago
  If every Android, Blackberry, and iPhone came with a universal QR code reader it MIGHT be worth it, but none of them do, so you have to provide printed material or a url anyways so there is no real reason to use them now.
  - ImprovedSilence 14y ago
    But if it comes down to typing a long ass url in my phone, or pushing a button to scan a code, guess which one I'll pick. Don't impede technological progress just because "not everybody has it"
canthonytucci 14y ago
Why is is so cool to hate on QR codes lately? I've heard Merlin Mann and Marco Arment rag on them pretty often on their podcasts. I don't get it. No matter how ugly, it's still a better way for me to get to your website/app from a physical item (bottle of wine, print ad, whatever) than having me type out a URL....sure they are stuck a bunch of places that make them ugly or inconvenient to actually read....but so are URLs and phone numbers. I'm way more likely to scan a code than open a browser and type out a URL or even worse make a note/take a picture to remember to look something up later, there's pretty much no chance at all that I will call a phone number if that's all that is listed. The code (when implemented properly) takes me directly to what I want with almost zero effort on my part. But I may be some kind of weirdo, I think think QR codes are kinda cool looking anyway, at least more so than (800)-999-9999 or http://www.foo.bar http://www.foo.bar
- curtbrown 14y ago
  I don't understand all of the hate either. ComScore releases a lot of stats about QR code usage and people actually do use them quite a bit. I find them useful, especially when the alternative is typing in a URL that's 100 characters long.
  - eli 14y ago
    There are ads encouraging you to type 100 character urls?
- anigbrowl 14y ago
  Karma-whoring, pure and simple. You can always get upvotes (facebook likes, pageviews) for being cantankerous.
  - Gigablah 14y ago
    Yeah, pretty funny how that comic was ragging on QR codes and marketers, yet the whole page was half covered by advertisements.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
superasn 14y ago
I feel the same about those silly "Pin it", "Follow me" icons on every webpage. I cannot say that it has never helped any site get more traffic but for the most part it is just monkey copying monkeys all the way down. They do nothing except make all pages look generic and cluttered. The biggest example of just doing it for the sake of it is the porn sites that use these share icons too (who in the world shares a xxx video they watched on their facebook timeline?)
masukomi 14y ago
Japan has been using QR codes respectfully, and usefully, for years now. People don't scan them in the US because most people don't seem to have a clue what they are. If we spend any freaking time educating the public about what they are and how to use them ( and stopped using those damn proprietary variants) then we'd see a lot of value come out of them. You don't like QR codes? Fine, then give me some %#$%@$ alternative that allows me to get people from the print version of my stuff to the online version without them having to type in some long string of characters on a weeeee little phone keyboard that everyone makes typos on constantly. Until someone comes up with a better alternative, maybe we should stop railing against them and start learning how to use them intelligently and respectfully, while making it easy for our audience to consume them. Telling a spectacular story, as the comic suggests, wouldn't get people to my site nearly as well as a button on the paper that they could reach down and push. QR codes aren't doing a great job of getting people their either, because instead of educating people about how useful they are and what to do with them, we're letting marketers use them without a freaking clue, while the clueful sit around bitching about them without offering any good alternative.
- ericras 14y ago
  In Japan they use them for useful stuff - scan one at a bus stop to get a real-time map of where the bus is. In the US (so far) they have been used for crap - "scan this to see MORE advertising from us!!!!"
- mikeocool 14y ago
  "If we spend any freaking time educating the public about what they are and how to use them" The problem is that people will not learn a new technology to engage with an ad. If Facebook has been started with a ton brands and no people, and the advertisers kept putting 'hey like us on facebook!' in their ads, no one would have ever joined Facebook. Instead brands came to Facebook because that's what people were already using. If there was some utility to QR codes that got people using them outside of ads, then they might also work on ads. But right now, ads are basically the only place they appear, so no one is going to go through the effort to learn about them.
- mojuba 14y ago
heyrhett 14y ago
This is one of my favorite tumblrs: http://picturesofpeoplescanningqrcodes.tumblr.com/ http://picturesofpeoplescanningqrcodes.tumblr.com/
- sharkweek 14y ago
  it took me far too long to get the joke
  - zacharyb 14y ago
    lol
  - cwe 14y ago
    ah, thank you. Always been confused by this.
- cwe 14y ago
  how can your favorite tumblr be empty?
  - Karunamon 14y ago
    whoosh
Pelayo 14y ago
Here in Chile, Nike put a QR code in an ad for a 10k run. It took you to a site with some information... unfortunately it was in flash so iPhones couldn't view it.
mseebach 14y ago
Number one missed opportunity for QR-codes: "For Sale/Rent" signs. It actively annoys me that I don't have a super-low-friction way to take a closer look at a for-sale house I'm walking by.
- jmj42 14y ago
  They are starting to show up on realtor for-sale signs. There's one I drive by on my way to/from work that scanned a while back. I landed on the realtor's page about the house (which, BTW, was way out of my price range).
  - sologoub 14y ago
    My last attempt to scan one of those took me to the search page not optimized for iPhone/Android on the realtor's personal site... and no clue as to how to find the house I was standing next to.
- alanfalcon 14y ago
  I scanned a "more info" QR code once on a commercial building rental advertisement and was amused that the result was a direct link to a PDF file that had the floor plan of the building and nothing else. I guess I should have been happy that at least it wasn't a link to Justinsomnia. ( http://justinsomnia.org/2011/03/why-does-that-qr-code-take-me-to-justinsomnia-org/ http://justinsomnia.org/2011/03/why-does-that-qr-code-take-m... )
- dabent 14y ago
  I know that westsiderentals.com uses them for their signs here in LA. They have a QR code in addition to a way to use SMS to get information.
- drzaiusapelord 14y ago
  I see these all the time in Chicago. I think the only time I've ever scanned one was because I was curious as to the asking price of a house near me.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
ColinWright 14y ago
I scan QR codes regularly and find them incredibly useful. Poster about something I might be interested in? Instead of typing error-prone-fully on my stupid tiny keyboard, I point, scan, check the URL looks sane, then go to the web site. Sometimes I take a photo and deal with it later. Please, don't take away features I like and use just because you think no one uses them. Instead of hating on them so much, show how genuinely clever you are and figure a way to make use of the technology, otherwise you're just like a eunuch in a harem, pointing, observing, and criticizing, without actually being able to do anything.
- rprospero 14y ago
  I think a lot of hate comes from the fact that I've never encountered a QR code where I couldn't have typed in the URL on my stupid-tiny keyboard faster than the time it took for the QR app to scan the code. I'm curious if this means my phone has a terrible camera or if yours has a terrible keyboard. Probably both.
  - ColinWright 14y ago
    It's the error-pronedness - clicks are far easier. Can you always type a lengthy URL without any mistakes or having to make corrections? Plus, I can't read a poster and a phone without constantly changing whether I'm looking through glasses or not. I type pretty well, but the scan wins every time. Added in edit: I really, really don't understand the downvotes. I'm offering a point of view as to why QR codes are easier for me. Is your downvote saying that I'm wrong? Is your downvote saying that it's irrelevant? Is your downvote saying that only people who hate QR codes can be tolerated? Is your downvote saying your mind is closed to other points of view? Help me to understand!
    - rprospero 14y ago
      It took me 28 seconds to type in this sentence on my cell phone. I didn't use auto-correct, so it's a pretty good match for typing a url, if a little long. That time did include going back through to correct for errors. Comparatively, I've never seen a QR code scan in under a minute, either on my own phone or on one from my friends, family, and coworkers. I could see the glasses thing being a pain.
xarien 14y ago
People don't understand QR codes. QR codes are a medium of transportation and a digitalization of analog information. However, if what's at the end of that trail isn't something people are interested in, then it doesn't matter if that trail is the yellow brick road, they're not going to follow it. The reason why QR codes are used is that they're cheap, dirt cheap. But most vendors are simply adding them without thinking about adding value. When you start adding value like convenience, discounts, promotions and other means to hook an audience, that's when the ability to interact with print becomes validated. Until vendors start doing this, posts and comics like the above will exist...
frou_dh 14y ago
A stored called John Lewis in the UK had a really big QR code as part of a window-covering display I think was to advertise online shopping. What struck me, even as someone who knows what they are, was how visually menacing this huge QR code looked. They must be extremely visually unwelcoming to the uninitiated, which strikes me as the unfortunate old aura of technology which has only recently been shook off.
bradbeattie 14y ago
I'm not going to scan a QR code that doesn't tell me upfront what it does (e.g. get a discount, view more info on this product, etc). QR code + verb summary: helpful. QR code on its own: ignored.
tocomment 14y ago
How do you actually scan a qr code? Does the iPhone camera automatically recognize them?
- alexlitov 14y ago
  No, you need an app for that
b_emery 14y ago
I predict that a few years from now we will not be seeing QR codes. I dislike them because they are ugly and their abuse seems to be widespread and growing, but I can see many reasons, some of which are posted here, why they would be useful. But why does it have to be an ugly code? Getting the data (link?) into the phone is the general problem. Seems like image search is getting to the point where you can scan in a logo, or take a photo of it, and plug that into a search to get to the product/web site etc. The point being that it doesn't have to be an ugly black and while mishmash. How about OCR on the URL?
- icebraining 14y ago
  Seems like image search is getting to the point where you can scan in a logo, or take a photo of it, and plug that into a search to get to the product/web site etc. 1) The recognition is less reliable 2) It depends on another service which might be unavailable, slow, not have the logo in its database or have it associated with a different URL. 3) It's limited to products that have their own logos, which are a small minority. 4) It can't support different URLs for the same service or product, losing context. 5) As ugly as they are, QRCodes are identifiable as a link, logos aren't. How about OCR on the URL? OCR in real world conditions, using camera phones (not everyone has a 4S or similar) at widely different angles and distances and on the outdoors doesn't work that well. There's a reason why QR Codes where invented, and it was not just to offend people's aesthetic senses. They have those big squares to detect the distortion, extra bits using Reed-Solomon for error-correction, they're much more compact and immediately identifiable.
heydenberk 14y ago
QR codes ceased to be useful or necessary when smartphones apps for reading and opening plain-text URLs became available, which was a historical blink of an eye after the advent of QR codes.
DavidAdams 14y ago
My company went to a trade show recently, and instead of brochures, we made up a little business card with some summary information on the front, and a big QR code on the back. When you scan the QR code, it puts the summary and contact information into your phone as a contact. (It's labeled, so people know that scanning the code will transfer the card's information to their phone's contact list). I think this is pretty darn useful. It's nice to have something physical to hand to someone, but nobody wants to re-key contact info. And we want to make it easy to get the info from the card into their phone. You can use vcard or MECARD format. http://code.google.com/p/zxing/wiki/BarcodeContents http://code.google.com/p/zxing/wiki/BarcodeContents I don't know why more people don't use the scan-to-transfer aspect of QR codes.
- mrtron 14y ago
  What % of business cards got scanned?
aaronjg 14y ago
The problem is that 'me not wanting to ever see your ad again' is NOT quantifiable. Marketers can see the positive impact of QR codes but not the negative. Thus by their metrics the more prominent the QR code, the more people who swipe it and the 'better' the ad performs. But it's very expensive to quantify the negative impact of the QR code. Advertisers would need to run focus groups, ask people if they saw the ad, what they remembered about it, what their impression was, etc. So we find ourselves seeing more, bigger QR codes, even though people don't really seem to care for them.
dllthomas 14y ago
I am confused why several people called this an article - it's a comic. Which, mind, is not to say that it can't be correct or insightful, and it's certainly amusing, but... I'm just confused.
jamesu 14y ago
I like the idea of QR codes, but I've never seen anyone scan them in public. In fact, the only thing I keep hearing about QR codes is how stupid they are and how they should be obliterated from the face of the earth.
Kilimanjaro 14y ago
How about using an IPV6 binary code? You know, the internet of things ;-) levis.com/model-550/stone-washed 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334 | ..:. .... .... ...: | .... ::.: :.:: :... | :... .:.: :.:. ..:: | .... .... .... .... | .... .... .... .... | :... :.:. ..:. :::. | .... ..:: .::: .... | .::: ..:: ..:: .:..
thesagan 14y ago
Many advertising agencies simply get caught up in trends and fads and don't take a hard look at the actual effects these trends have on their audience. Periodically I do work for these agencies on their print materials, and often clients ask for these QR codes without even understanding what they DO. All they know is that "it's happening" and they want in on it. Now, sometimes it makes sense, and other times not so much. But the pattern is clear, at least with these clients: play the part, and the client is happy. Try to educate the client, and you might just find yourself looking for another one. Too often clients don't look at the results of their decisions, at least in the larger organizations. Just my experience, and maybe I get shitty jobs which skews my view.
BrainInAJar 14y ago
QR codes had great potential. All sorts of cool information you could stuff in them Then marketers discovered them. And now they lead you to the product's website. I could just google that if I cared.
user49598 14y ago
Why don't any good 'URL Finder' apps exist. 1) Open URL Finder app 2) Take picture 3) URL finder identifies all the urls in the picture. 4) Your browser opens those urls These QR codes aren't being used for robot orientation or shipment tracking, they don't need to be so fault tolerant. Why not just OCR plain text?
- a3_nm 14y ago
  Because OCR is hard. Finding and decoding QR codes is way easier and more resilient.
- Karunamon 14y ago
  It takes ages for most camera apps to decode a QR code designed for ease of reading and ubiquity - what makes you think it would somehow be faster to do OCR on arbitrarily sized and styled fonts?
learc83 14y ago
QR codes are new to most advertisers, so they don't know what to do with them. They're just using QR codes to use QR codes without thinking about whether they make sense. When the wii first came out, it was full of games where motion control made no sense. Some marketing guy told the developers to add motion control. It didn't matter if it fit the game or not, they just did it, so they could say they had it on the box. There is a place for QR codes. As soon as the novelty wears off and advertisers stop thinking they're cool, we'll start to see them used in real meaningful applications.
- finnw 14y ago
  Remember :CueCat? [1] The marketers may just be repeating the same mistake. Fortunately it does not require specialized hardware anymore (since most smartphone cameras can read QR codes.) [1]: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000037.html http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000037.html
da_n 14y ago
I have never really understood the QR code hate. To just dismiss such a cool technology due to a dislike of how they look seems shallow at best. I also find QR codes genuinely useful, and have found myself scanning them quite regularly. I just wish iOS had it built in.
djt 14y ago
A few points: - The only people I know that use and are excited by putting QR codes in are nerds and/or marketers. I think it serves to quench our thirst for something shiny that is a technological hack. Most people dont feel the same way though. - The results are obfuscated, when you scan the code you dont know where it will take you, worse if there is no details around the code. Its like a shortened link. - In Japan it is a utility which is useful. In the West it seems to be a shiny toy for marketers. - Much like Flash, it is a transitional medium between print and digital. It will be interesting to see what comes out next.
RobertHubert 14y ago
Bottom line, they link you to content that you cant get without typing in some url into your phone. They are convenient when its relevant. Passing by a restaurant you might want to go to later, launch app with one hand, scan code, keep walking, review menu... They are links that transcend platforms, would you be just at apposed to a rfid tag that you just swipe your device over to connect? I think they are extremely useful when used correctly. They save time and they dissolve errors. They are essentially internet links removed from computers... when I hear the anti qr code arguments I think to my self, well are you against hyperlinks? Do you avoid clicking links that could give you additional information about something your interested in? Then whats your beef with a link on a movie poster or can of soup? They're here to stay until replaced by a nicer looking swifter alternative but the concept will never go away.
- zalew 14y ago
  The most useless QR code I saw was this movie poster http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2011/08/19/Martha-Marcy-poster_510.jpg http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2011/08/19/Martha-Marcy-poster_... which led to a website... wait for it... in flash! (and yes, I could have flash on my Android, but I chose not to)
zach 14y ago
The best uses of QR codes are DEEP LINKS. Not as "mystery links", not to look modern, but to jump directly to one item in the middle of a hierarchy or a pool of options. Check out how Tesco used QR codes in Korea to make a virtual grocery store: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJVoYsBym88 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJVoYsBym88 This is a great use of QR that is a mile away from the typical "scan this instead of typing two words and pressing .com" usage that is typical in the US and confuses people as to why QR even exists (as in this comic).
sunkencity 14y ago
Not that I'd ever bother looking up what it encodes, but the pencil-shave qr code http://pinterest.com/pin/23151385554160440/ http://pinterest.com/pin/23151385554160440/ is pretty damn good looking.
angrytapir 14y ago
I scan a QR code at my local coffee shop almost every (week) day. I use an app that acts like an electronic loyalty card - you scan a QR code when you get a coffee, and every 10th coffee is free (and I find I'm actually more likely to do it, unlike with cardboard loyalty cards where it feels like you're inconveniencing someone when they're busy by making them mark it).
xlevus 14y ago
I have a few issues with QR codes. 1. They are still cumbersome to use. If I could open up my camera app (which I can launch with a press of a button) and point it at the QR code then maybe. But currently I've got to unlock my phone, open google googles, put google goggles in 'live' mode, then point it at the code, and wait for it to focus. Now, there might be camera apps that scan for QR codes while you're snapping pics. But if it's not baked into my stock phone I don't see anybody else doing it. 2. I really only ever see the things on the Tube. But there's no cell reception on the tube. What use is a URL I can't load? 3. If I showed my mother (Somebody I'd consider a 'typical' user. Has an iphone and a few apps on it. Uses the web for facebook, work and emails) a picture of a QR code she'd probably tell me that the art lessons I took in high school didn't pay off. If my mum doesn't know what a QR code is what's to say other people will? 4. A QR code alone isn't a call to action. Tell me what I'm going to gain by scanning it and I'll probably be more receptive to it.
matznerd 14y ago
This has always been one of my favorite uses of QR codes, a grocery store in the subway. Taking wasted space and wasted time, and putting them to productive use is amazing. http://natmobi.com/innovative-qr-code-grocery/ http://natmobi.com/innovative-qr-code-grocery/
jsemrau 14y ago
QR Codes are great. Probably you just don't understand them properly.
kadavy 14y ago
I actually have found QR codes to be effective when used in presentations at tech conferences. At the end of each talk, I have a QR code on the final slide that points to a page where attendees can get more info. About 1/4 of all people who visited that page at my SXSW talk this year came in through a QR code. This is kind of an anomaly because a SXSW talk is probably the perfect place to use a QR code. My one complaint is, of course, that they are hideous. It would be nice if there were a central database where you could upload your own symbols and assign them to URLs.
stinky613 14y ago
I think QR codes are almost never applied appropriately. I can Google something as quickly (if not more) than I can scan and process a QR code. True, a QR code may help me reach deep info easily, but a QR code has meaning ONLY to a computer; a URL has meaning to both a computer and to a human. Let's say I see a poster advertising, say, a contest by Budweiser to win Superbowl tickets. Two scenarios that, for the sake of argument, are mutually exclusive: A) The poster has a QR code. If I don't scan that QR code then and there my interaction is done. B) The poster has a URL (BudweiserSuperbowl.com). If I don't visit that site while I'm standing next to the advertisement there's still a chance I may remember the URL and decide to check it out later. This is the similar to the reason we invented DNS to obviate the need to memorize IP addresses. brk's example of a QR code on a washing machine at Best Buy was far more useful to Best Buy than to the customer: scanning a bar code can yield technical info, reviews, prices etc. whereas scanning a QR code will only give you the information that Best Buy or the manufacturer wants you to see. Some places I wouldn't mind seeing QR codes: - Videogames have more and more long alphanumeric strings to enter to enable online features, downloadable content, et al.; why not also include QR codes for Kinect to scan? - Mini QR codes on menus to take you directly to nutritional info for a dish could be cool
- DanBC 14y ago
  > URL has meaning to both a computer and to a human. I'm not convinced. I think that most people don't remember URLs, in the same way that they freak out when an error dialog pops up and the just click any button to make it go. "What did it say?" you ask, trying to fault find. "Oh, I don't know", they reply, "I just clicked [NO]". And honestly, no-one is going to remember "budweisersuperbowl.com". See also AOL using "aol keywords".
  - stinky613 14y ago
    So maybe they're both bad ideas, I can accept that. In fact I know I personally would be far more likely to just Google "budweiser superbowl" than pay attention to the URL, but if I'm going to pick one or the other for my ad I'd stick with a URL. Those same people you reference certainly aren't the ones who are going to both know what a QR code is and have the motivation to scan the code. Anyone could read a url and remember it whereas no one I've heard of can look at a QR code and understand a lick of it. If nothing else I stand by a URL in this situation being a better bad idea than a QR code.

146 points by kposehn 14y ago

I think this boils down to the basic rule: don't disrespect your audience. I keep going to meetings where people suggest using QR codes to advertise a product. And I ask the obvious question: when have you ever scanned a QR code and learned about/bought something? No one can ever answer. But there's a vague sense that somewhere, out there, "those people" are using QR codes. What's funny is no one seems to know who this is. Among the hip, young, techy people at a startup, it is assumed QR codes are for technically-illiterate old people who don't know what a URL is. Among well-dressed, professional adults, it is assumed they are for all the young, hip people with their smartphone addictions. I assume someone uses QR codes, but I don't know who, and I don't see why they are popping up in so many places.

ImprovedSilence 14y ago
I think QR codes have a place. But I don't think advertisers know where that place is yet. QR codes on products I may buy -> bad, terrible, everything this comic describes. But if it happens to be an event (free concert in the park, grand opening of awesome new store, whatever) and it's on a poster somewhere about town, I like this, cuz maybe I'll be like, "hmm, blues fest sounds like fun, lemme just scan this in, and I'll have all the deets for it on my phone. If it's a QR code on my bottled water, well that's just a waste of space.
- evilduck 14y ago
  Disclaimer: This is tangential to the scope of what the comic was complaining about. Bottled water may be a waste because water is pretty indistinguishable from its competitors outside of visual design of the product container, but not everything is so generic. I bought a bag of granola the other day that had a QR code on the back that I thought worked well. As I idly sat at my breakfast table last week, I was reading the back of the bag and thought "this stuff is pretty damn good, I wonder what their QR code does?" I scanned it and was sent to their site where they displayed their entire product line, leading me to discover a different variety of their product I wanted to try (and have since purchased). Since I was groggy and not feeling very interactive at 6am, the bag of granola probably couldn't have convinced me to type in a URL into my phone no matter how tasty their product was, so I'd say their QR code worked (typing URLs is comparatively a lot of work compared to two taps of my phone to scan QRs) As a product discovery mechanism I think they're probably ok, especially for existing customers that may like your brand but may not know everything about you. I don't think they'd be great on billboards or television ads, but as part of a product label design, I think it's a great way to provide more information to the consumer than would otherwise fit in that space.
anigbrowl 14y ago
I find them quite convenient, and prefer using my smartphone to photograph a QR code than trying to tap out some arbitrary URL.
- deltazero 14y ago
  I don't think I'm stopping in the middle of the street just to scan a QR code...
brk 14y ago
when have you ever scanned a QR code and learned about/bought something? Shopping for dishwashers in-store, even after doing lots of online research. The in-store display tags have very minimal info. Best Buy has/had a QRCode on each product that took you to a webpage for that item with a lot more info, reviews, etc. It was one of the main reasons I actually bought a dishwasher AT Best Buy instead of elsewhere.
- jetti 14y ago
  That is a good use for them. Recently I saw one on a company's van which just baffled my mind. I don't know if they wanted somebody to come up while the van was parked and scan the QR code but it was just stupid and goes in line with what the article is saying.
  - natesm 14y ago
    My favorite New York subway ad (besides Zizmor) is something like "Have bedbugs?" and it offers you some "bedbugs apps" if you scan it, which is great because: 1. I've recently been looking for a good way to let a crowded train know that I probably have bedbugs on my clothing. 2. Internet access is really good underground.
    - corin_ 14y ago
      I'm afraid I can top you in "worst use of QR on underground travel" (this one in London): https://p.twimg.com/AneZAsiCAAATy1Q.jpg:large https://p.twimg.com/AneZAsiCAAATy1Q.jpg:large
      - dspillett 14y ago
        They never learn... Some time ago (early/mid 90s I think) there was a particular problem with pickpockets in the Kings Cross area so an awareness campaign was started with similar posters. The problem got worse. Why? Often people walking past the posters would, consciously or otherwise, check the pockets their wallet or other valuables were in - this helped improve an observant pick-pocket's hit rate.
dabent 14y ago
> When have you ever scanned a QR code and learned about/bought something? Saturday I used a QR code when I was in a store, trying to get more details on a grill I was thinking of buying. I guess it worked, because I got more information and got the grill. I laughed when QR codes came out, but can think of more than just that instance when I started using them. QR codes are ugly, but their success relies on them being a path to information that has real value to the target audience.
- troymc 14y ago
  I agree that's a nice use case (to get details about a grill in a store), but it's not an example of advertising. Even for that use case, QR codes seem like an interim solution, while we wait for better recognition apps (photo [of object or tag] -> recognition software -> search -> detailed info about object). An example of this is the Google Goggles app (which is not to be confused with Google Glass): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Goggles https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Goggles
  - dabent 14y ago
    That's a good point. There's not much real use for a QR code being on a billboard/or vehicle. Also, I think QR codes will have their day, then be replaced by superior technology.
- Revisor 14y ago
  What's the store's purpose then if you have to go online while being physically present to get more product info? Was there no knowledgeable staff? No product flyers/labels?
  - dabent 14y ago
    > What's the store's purpose? It's really just a warehouse where I could pick up my merchandise. > Was there no knowledgeable staff? No, and That's certainly not the trend these days. I did ask an associate if I could just take the assembled grill to the cash register (and I could). Your comment made me think about the real purpose of brick-and-mortar stores in the age of Amazon. In this case, the big-box retailer served as merely a display room for me to physically inspect the product and a place for me to take immediate delivery of the product. All the information gathering can be done by me, using the information on the box, or through my mobile device (with the QR code being the relevant portion of this discussion). > No product flyers/labels? If used properly, a QR code (or whatever vector allows me to find information online) can provide much more information than labels or flyers.
allardschip 14y ago
Every time I am in a meeting about QR codes I share this: http://wtfqrcodes.com/ http://wtfqrcodes.com/ We all have a good laugh and then somehow, no one wants to suggest QR codes anymore.
cema 14y ago
Well, just a few days ago I was trying the new system in our apartment complex where we can use a credit card to add value to the smart card that is used in the local washer and drier systems. I had to type in the url to get it going. Well, I used the smartphone keyboard and got it in with a minimal number of typos which I quickly corrected, but you know what? If they had a QR code that I could scan, it would be just a couple of taps and a couple of seconds and much, much more convenient.
gala8y 14y ago
I assume someone uses QR codes, but I don't know who, and I don't see why they are popping up in so many places. They live in Japan. QRs are very old news there. I couldn't really tell more (I've never been to Japan) but this must be it. Anyone with ground level expertise?
- nikatwork 14y ago
  I can confirm this, they are everywhere and people seem to like them. Eg, I was handed a flyer for a random nightclub with a QR code on it for cheap entry. You just scanned the QR code then showed your mobile at the door for a discount. This was 5 years ago too (Tokyo, Shinjuku/Shibuya).
  - dan1234 14y ago
    How is that better than just showing the flyer at the door to get the discount?
    - JonWood 14y ago
      They can track response rates for particular flyers by pointing them at different URLs. Measurable A/B testing for physical advertising.
      - Revisor 14y ago
        They can print A/B versions of flyers and collect them upon entry. No QR needed for this kind of measuring. :)
    - nikatwork 14y ago
      because you're likely to lose the flyer, and it's a PITA to carry it around. You're always gonna keep your mobile though.
jaaron 14y ago
Westside Rentals uses them on their displays in LA and I've often used the QR code to check out the details of the listing when walking by in Santa Monica.
camtarn 14y ago
Poster in my train station: "Our timetables are being updated. Scan these QR codes to download them to your phone." Below that were eight pictures of timetables, showing their color-coded covers so you could identify them from the paper timetable you might already have, with a QR code on each one. Below those were instructions on how to download a QR code reader if you didn't have one already. QR codes for info are awesome.
duaneb 14y ago
I actually use QR codes a lot... but never in marketing situations (my office has them for internal links around the building).
gaius 14y ago
It depends on your target demographic: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/310173 http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/310173
jps359 14y ago
Well, I don't think QR codes are inherently offensive, and if some people use them, why not? I would only say that it's a bad idea if the only point of ref on it is a QR code, but if a typed out website name is included, what could it hurt? I'm also solely talking about QR codes in advertising.
beej71 14y ago
I scanned one once, but it was to learn more about a museum exhibit. :) My personal favorite was when I found one on a banana sticker. I didn't try it, though.

sjs382 14y ago

If people didn't scan them, the statistics that go along with them are useless. People do scan them, though.

CookWithMe 14y ago

Plus, they hang in the most ridiculous places: On billboards high in the air, on a highway, across subway tracks... I have no idea how to scan these. Well, maybe if I use a DSLR but not with the average smartphone.

tthomas48 14y ago

I feel like this article is backwards. QR codes are still the best way to transfer from print to phone. The problem is most people are still transferring from print ad to phone ad. My theater company uses it to send people from our poster to our ticket buying site (and let you know where the QR code goes). There's genuine utility here. Don't throw out the useful application because so many are doing it wrong.

PhrosTT 14y ago
The issue is you're one of a few using them correctly. Most implementations are unlabeled, no indication what it does or why I should bother.
ketralnis 14y ago
> My theater company uses it to send people from our poster to our ticket buying site (and let you know where the QR code goes) Can you share any numbers as to their effectiveness in real life?

calinet6 14y ago

Especially the QR-codes that aren't QR codes. I honestly tried to scan a new style barcode that wasn't QR, that literally said below it "Please download the SomethingCode app to read this barcode." Never have I sworn out loud so fervently at a magazine, or so quickly sworn off purchasing from that (rather large) company.

Karunamon 14y ago
You swear at magazines and boycott a company because they ask you to download an app? Wow. Perhaps consider anger management classes?

ctingom 14y ago

Home Depot had a QR code linking to a YouTube video showing how to install a garbage disposal. It was right by the product.

ben1040 14y ago
This seems like it would be an actual good use of a QR code, if it was specifically labeled as "Scan this to see how to install this product." On the other hand, I just got a bill from my exterminator service. And lo and behold right there next to their address block on the invoice was their URL and an unlabeled QR code. Why in the heck would I ever bother scanning that? Having it there just screams "the owner's kid nephew said that QR codes are all the rage so we had better get one on our invoice."
- canthonytucci 14y ago
  I would bet that it took you to their website. Most unlabeled QR codes are just there to save you from typing.
- bostonvaulter2 14y ago
  Yes, I really hate QR codes that have no labels at all, how am I supposed to know if I want to actually read the content at the other end?
3pt14159 14y ago
If every Android, Blackberry, and iPhone came with a universal QR code reader it MIGHT be worth it, but none of them do, so you have to provide printed material or a url anyways so there is no real reason to use them now.
- ImprovedSilence 14y ago
  But if it comes down to typing a long ass url in my phone, or pushing a button to scan a code, guess which one I'll pick. Don't impede technological progress just because "not everybody has it"

canthonytucci 14y ago

Why is is so cool to hate on QR codes lately? I've heard Merlin Mann and Marco Arment rag on them pretty often on their podcasts. I don't get it. No matter how ugly, it's still a better way for me to get to your website/app from a physical item (bottle of wine, print ad, whatever) than having me type out a URL....sure they are stuck a bunch of places that make them ugly or inconvenient to actually read....but so are URLs and phone numbers. I'm way more likely to scan a code than open a browser and type out a URL or even worse make a note/take a picture to remember to look something up later, there's pretty much no chance at all that I will call a phone number if that's all that is listed. The code (when implemented properly) takes me directly to what I want with almost zero effort on my part. But I may be some kind of weirdo, I think think QR codes are kinda cool looking anyway, at least more so than (800)-999-9999 or http://www.foo.bar http://www.foo.bar

curtbrown 14y ago
I don't understand all of the hate either. ComScore releases a lot of stats about QR code usage and people actually do use them quite a bit. I find them useful, especially when the alternative is typing in a URL that's 100 characters long.
- eli 14y ago
  There are ads encouraging you to type 100 character urls?
anigbrowl 14y ago
Karma-whoring, pure and simple. You can always get upvotes (facebook likes, pageviews) for being cantankerous.
- Gigablah 14y ago
  Yeah, pretty funny how that comic was ragging on QR codes and marketers, yet the whole page was half covered by advertisements.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]

superasn 14y ago

I feel the same about those silly "Pin it", "Follow me" icons on every webpage. I cannot say that it has never helped any site get more traffic but for the most part it is just monkey copying monkeys all the way down. They do nothing except make all pages look generic and cluttered. The biggest example of just doing it for the sake of it is the porn sites that use these share icons too (who in the world shares a xxx video they watched on their facebook timeline?)

masukomi 14y ago

Japan has been using QR codes respectfully, and usefully, for years now. People don't scan them in the US because most people don't seem to have a clue what they are. If we spend any freaking time educating the public about what they are and how to use them ( and stopped using those damn proprietary variants) then we'd see a lot of value come out of them. You don't like QR codes? Fine, then give me some %#$%@$ alternative that allows me to get people from the print version of my stuff to the online version without them having to type in some long string of characters on a weeeee little phone keyboard that everyone makes typos on constantly. Until someone comes up with a better alternative, maybe we should stop railing against them and start learning how to use them intelligently and respectfully, while making it easy for our audience to consume them. Telling a spectacular story, as the comic suggests, wouldn't get people to my site nearly as well as a button on the paper that they could reach down and push. QR codes aren't doing a great job of getting people their either, because instead of educating people about how useful they are and what to do with them, we're letting marketers use them without a freaking clue, while the clueful sit around bitching about them without offering any good alternative.

ericras 14y ago
In Japan they use them for useful stuff - scan one at a bus stop to get a real-time map of where the bus is. In the US (so far) they have been used for crap - "scan this to see MORE advertising from us!!!!"
mikeocool 14y ago
"If we spend any freaking time educating the public about what they are and how to use them" The problem is that people will not learn a new technology to engage with an ad. If Facebook has been started with a ton brands and no people, and the advertisers kept putting 'hey like us on facebook!' in their ads, no one would have ever joined Facebook. Instead brands came to Facebook because that's what people were already using. If there was some utility to QR codes that got people using them outside of ads, then they might also work on ads. But right now, ads are basically the only place they appear, so no one is going to go through the effort to learn about them.
mojuba 14y ago

heyrhett 14y ago

This is one of my favorite tumblrs: http://picturesofpeoplescanningqrcodes.tumblr.com/ http://picturesofpeoplescanningqrcodes.tumblr.com/

sharkweek 14y ago
it took me far too long to get the joke
- zacharyb 14y ago
  lol
- cwe 14y ago
  ah, thank you. Always been confused by this.
cwe 14y ago
how can your favorite tumblr be empty?
- Karunamon 14y ago
  whoosh

Pelayo 14y ago

Here in Chile, Nike put a QR code in an ad for a 10k run. It took you to a site with some information... unfortunately it was in flash so iPhones couldn't view it.

mseebach 14y ago

Number one missed opportunity for QR-codes: "For Sale/Rent" signs. It actively annoys me that I don't have a super-low-friction way to take a closer look at a for-sale house I'm walking by.

jmj42 14y ago
They are starting to show up on realtor for-sale signs. There's one I drive by on my way to/from work that scanned a while back. I landed on the realtor's page about the house (which, BTW, was way out of my price range).
- sologoub 14y ago
  My last attempt to scan one of those took me to the search page not optimized for iPhone/Android on the realtor's personal site... and no clue as to how to find the house I was standing next to.
alanfalcon 14y ago
I scanned a "more info" QR code once on a commercial building rental advertisement and was amused that the result was a direct link to a PDF file that had the floor plan of the building and nothing else. I guess I should have been happy that at least it wasn't a link to Justinsomnia. ( http://justinsomnia.org/2011/03/why-does-that-qr-code-take-me-to-justinsomnia-org/ http://justinsomnia.org/2011/03/why-does-that-qr-code-take-m... )
dabent 14y ago
I know that westsiderentals.com uses them for their signs here in LA. They have a QR code in addition to a way to use SMS to get information.
drzaiusapelord 14y ago
I see these all the time in Chicago. I think the only time I've ever scanned one was because I was curious as to the asking price of a house near me.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

ColinWright 14y ago

I scan QR codes regularly and find them incredibly useful. Poster about something I might be interested in? Instead of typing error-prone-fully on my stupid tiny keyboard, I point, scan, check the URL looks sane, then go to the web site. Sometimes I take a photo and deal with it later. Please, don't take away features I like and use just because you think no one uses them. Instead of hating on them so much, show how genuinely clever you are and figure a way to make use of the technology, otherwise you're just like a eunuch in a harem, pointing, observing, and criticizing, without actually being able to do anything.

rprospero 14y ago
I think a lot of hate comes from the fact that I've never encountered a QR code where I couldn't have typed in the URL on my stupid-tiny keyboard faster than the time it took for the QR app to scan the code. I'm curious if this means my phone has a terrible camera or if yours has a terrible keyboard. Probably both.
- ColinWright 14y ago
  It's the error-pronedness - clicks are far easier. Can you always type a lengthy URL without any mistakes or having to make corrections? Plus, I can't read a poster and a phone without constantly changing whether I'm looking through glasses or not. I type pretty well, but the scan wins every time. Added in edit: I really, really don't understand the downvotes. I'm offering a point of view as to why QR codes are easier for me. Is your downvote saying that I'm wrong? Is your downvote saying that it's irrelevant? Is your downvote saying that only people who hate QR codes can be tolerated? Is your downvote saying your mind is closed to other points of view? Help me to understand!
  - rprospero 14y ago
    It took me 28 seconds to type in this sentence on my cell phone. I didn't use auto-correct, so it's a pretty good match for typing a url, if a little long. That time did include going back through to correct for errors. Comparatively, I've never seen a QR code scan in under a minute, either on my own phone or on one from my friends, family, and coworkers. I could see the glasses thing being a pain.

xarien 14y ago

People don't understand QR codes. QR codes are a medium of transportation and a digitalization of analog information. However, if what's at the end of that trail isn't something people are interested in, then it doesn't matter if that trail is the yellow brick road, they're not going to follow it. The reason why QR codes are used is that they're cheap, dirt cheap. But most vendors are simply adding them without thinking about adding value. When you start adding value like convenience, discounts, promotions and other means to hook an audience, that's when the ability to interact with print becomes validated. Until vendors start doing this, posts and comics like the above will exist...

frou_dh 14y ago

A stored called John Lewis in the UK had a really big QR code as part of a window-covering display I think was to advertise online shopping. What struck me, even as someone who knows what they are, was how visually menacing this huge QR code looked. They must be extremely visually unwelcoming to the uninitiated, which strikes me as the unfortunate old aura of technology which has only recently been shook off.

bradbeattie 14y ago

I'm not going to scan a QR code that doesn't tell me upfront what it does (e.g. get a discount, view more info on this product, etc). QR code + verb summary: helpful. QR code on its own: ignored.

tocomment 14y ago

How do you actually scan a qr code? Does the iPhone camera automatically recognize them?

alexlitov 14y ago
No, you need an app for that

b_emery 14y ago

I predict that a few years from now we will not be seeing QR codes. I dislike them because they are ugly and their abuse seems to be widespread and growing, but I can see many reasons, some of which are posted here, why they would be useful. But why does it have to be an ugly code? Getting the data (link?) into the phone is the general problem. Seems like image search is getting to the point where you can scan in a logo, or take a photo of it, and plug that into a search to get to the product/web site etc. The point being that it doesn't have to be an ugly black and while mishmash. How about OCR on the URL?

icebraining 14y ago
Seems like image search is getting to the point where you can scan in a logo, or take a photo of it, and plug that into a search to get to the product/web site etc. 1) The recognition is less reliable 2) It depends on another service which might be unavailable, slow, not have the logo in its database or have it associated with a different URL. 3) It's limited to products that have their own logos, which are a small minority. 4) It can't support different URLs for the same service or product, losing context. 5) As ugly as they are, QRCodes are identifiable as a link, logos aren't. How about OCR on the URL? OCR in real world conditions, using camera phones (not everyone has a 4S or similar) at widely different angles and distances and on the outdoors doesn't work that well. There's a reason why QR Codes where invented, and it was not just to offend people's aesthetic senses. They have those big squares to detect the distortion, extra bits using Reed-Solomon for error-correction, they're much more compact and immediately identifiable.

heydenberk 14y ago

QR codes ceased to be useful or necessary when smartphones apps for reading and opening plain-text URLs became available, which was a historical blink of an eye after the advent of QR codes.

DavidAdams 14y ago

My company went to a trade show recently, and instead of brochures, we made up a little business card with some summary information on the front, and a big QR code on the back. When you scan the QR code, it puts the summary and contact information into your phone as a contact. (It's labeled, so people know that scanning the code will transfer the card's information to their phone's contact list). I think this is pretty darn useful. It's nice to have something physical to hand to someone, but nobody wants to re-key contact info. And we want to make it easy to get the info from the card into their phone. You can use vcard or MECARD format. http://code.google.com/p/zxing/wiki/BarcodeContents http://code.google.com/p/zxing/wiki/BarcodeContents I don't know why more people don't use the scan-to-transfer aspect of QR codes.

mrtron 14y ago
What % of business cards got scanned?

aaronjg 14y ago

The problem is that 'me not wanting to ever see your ad again' is NOT quantifiable. Marketers can see the positive impact of QR codes but not the negative. Thus by their metrics the more prominent the QR code, the more people who swipe it and the 'better' the ad performs. But it's very expensive to quantify the negative impact of the QR code. Advertisers would need to run focus groups, ask people if they saw the ad, what they remembered about it, what their impression was, etc. So we find ourselves seeing more, bigger QR codes, even though people don't really seem to care for them.

dllthomas 14y ago

I am confused why several people called this an article - it's a comic. Which, mind, is not to say that it can't be correct or insightful, and it's certainly amusing, but... I'm just confused.

jamesu 14y ago

I like the idea of QR codes, but I've never seen anyone scan them in public. In fact, the only thing I keep hearing about QR codes is how stupid they are and how they should be obliterated from the face of the earth.

Kilimanjaro 14y ago

How about using an IPV6 binary code? You know, the internet of things ;-) levis.com/model-550/stone-washed 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334 | ..:. .... .... ...: | .... ::.: :.:: :... | :... .:.: :.:. ..:: | .... .... .... .... | .... .... .... .... | :... :.:. ..:. :::. | .... ..:: .::: .... | .::: ..:: ..:: .:..

thesagan 14y ago

Many advertising agencies simply get caught up in trends and fads and don't take a hard look at the actual effects these trends have on their audience. Periodically I do work for these agencies on their print materials, and often clients ask for these QR codes without even understanding what they DO. All they know is that "it's happening" and they want in on it. Now, sometimes it makes sense, and other times not so much. But the pattern is clear, at least with these clients: play the part, and the client is happy. Try to educate the client, and you might just find yourself looking for another one. Too often clients don't look at the results of their decisions, at least in the larger organizations. Just my experience, and maybe I get shitty jobs which skews my view.

BrainInAJar 14y ago

QR codes had great potential. All sorts of cool information you could stuff in them Then marketers discovered them. And now they lead you to the product's website. I could just google that if I cared.

user49598 14y ago

Why don't any good 'URL Finder' apps exist. 1) Open URL Finder app 2) Take picture 3) URL finder identifies all the urls in the picture. 4) Your browser opens those urls These QR codes aren't being used for robot orientation or shipment tracking, they don't need to be so fault tolerant. Why not just OCR plain text?

a3_nm 14y ago
Because OCR is hard. Finding and decoding QR codes is way easier and more resilient.
Karunamon 14y ago
It takes ages for most camera apps to decode a QR code designed for ease of reading and ubiquity - what makes you think it would somehow be faster to do OCR on arbitrarily sized and styled fonts?

learc83 14y ago

QR codes are new to most advertisers, so they don't know what to do with them. They're just using QR codes to use QR codes without thinking about whether they make sense. When the wii first came out, it was full of games where motion control made no sense. Some marketing guy told the developers to add motion control. It didn't matter if it fit the game or not, they just did it, so they could say they had it on the box. There is a place for QR codes. As soon as the novelty wears off and advertisers stop thinking they're cool, we'll start to see them used in real meaningful applications.

finnw 14y ago
Remember :CueCat? [1] The marketers may just be repeating the same mistake. Fortunately it does not require specialized hardware anymore (since most smartphone cameras can read QR codes.) [1]: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000037.html http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000037.html

da_n 14y ago

I have never really understood the QR code hate. To just dismiss such a cool technology due to a dislike of how they look seems shallow at best. I also find QR codes genuinely useful, and have found myself scanning them quite regularly. I just wish iOS had it built in.

djt 14y ago

A few points: - The only people I know that use and are excited by putting QR codes in are nerds and/or marketers. I think it serves to quench our thirst for something shiny that is a technological hack. Most people dont feel the same way though. - The results are obfuscated, when you scan the code you dont know where it will take you, worse if there is no details around the code. Its like a shortened link. - In Japan it is a utility which is useful. In the West it seems to be a shiny toy for marketers. - Much like Flash, it is a transitional medium between print and digital. It will be interesting to see what comes out next.

RobertHubert 14y ago

Bottom line, they link you to content that you cant get without typing in some url into your phone. They are convenient when its relevant. Passing by a restaurant you might want to go to later, launch app with one hand, scan code, keep walking, review menu... They are links that transcend platforms, would you be just at apposed to a rfid tag that you just swipe your device over to connect? I think they are extremely useful when used correctly. They save time and they dissolve errors. They are essentially internet links removed from computers... when I hear the anti qr code arguments I think to my self, well are you against hyperlinks? Do you avoid clicking links that could give you additional information about something your interested in? Then whats your beef with a link on a movie poster or can of soup? They're here to stay until replaced by a nicer looking swifter alternative but the concept will never go away.

zalew 14y ago
The most useless QR code I saw was this movie poster http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2011/08/19/Martha-Marcy-poster_510.jpg http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2011/08/19/Martha-Marcy-poster_... which led to a website... wait for it... in flash! (and yes, I could have flash on my Android, but I chose not to)

zach 14y ago

The best uses of QR codes are DEEP LINKS. Not as "mystery links", not to look modern, but to jump directly to one item in the middle of a hierarchy or a pool of options. Check out how Tesco used QR codes in Korea to make a virtual grocery store: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJVoYsBym88 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJVoYsBym88 This is a great use of QR that is a mile away from the typical "scan this instead of typing two words and pressing .com" usage that is typical in the US and confuses people as to why QR even exists (as in this comic).

sunkencity 14y ago

Not that I'd ever bother looking up what it encodes, but the pencil-shave qr code http://pinterest.com/pin/23151385554160440/ http://pinterest.com/pin/23151385554160440/ is pretty damn good looking.

angrytapir 14y ago

I scan a QR code at my local coffee shop almost every (week) day. I use an app that acts like an electronic loyalty card - you scan a QR code when you get a coffee, and every 10th coffee is free (and I find I'm actually more likely to do it, unlike with cardboard loyalty cards where it feels like you're inconveniencing someone when they're busy by making them mark it).

xlevus 14y ago

I have a few issues with QR codes. 1. They are still cumbersome to use. If I could open up my camera app (which I can launch with a press of a button) and point it at the QR code then maybe. But currently I've got to unlock my phone, open google googles, put google goggles in 'live' mode, then point it at the code, and wait for it to focus. Now, there might be camera apps that scan for QR codes while you're snapping pics. But if it's not baked into my stock phone I don't see anybody else doing it. 2. I really only ever see the things on the Tube. But there's no cell reception on the tube. What use is a URL I can't load? 3. If I showed my mother (Somebody I'd consider a 'typical' user. Has an iphone and a few apps on it. Uses the web for facebook, work and emails) a picture of a QR code she'd probably tell me that the art lessons I took in high school didn't pay off. If my mum doesn't know what a QR code is what's to say other people will? 4. A QR code alone isn't a call to action. Tell me what I'm going to gain by scanning it and I'll probably be more receptive to it.

matznerd 14y ago

This has always been one of my favorite uses of QR codes, a grocery store in the subway. Taking wasted space and wasted time, and putting them to productive use is amazing. http://natmobi.com/innovative-qr-code-grocery/ http://natmobi.com/innovative-qr-code-grocery/

jsemrau 14y ago

QR Codes are great. Probably you just don't understand them properly.

kadavy 14y ago

I actually have found QR codes to be effective when used in presentations at tech conferences. At the end of each talk, I have a QR code on the final slide that points to a page where attendees can get more info. About 1/4 of all people who visited that page at my SXSW talk this year came in through a QR code. This is kind of an anomaly because a SXSW talk is probably the perfect place to use a QR code. My one complaint is, of course, that they are hideous. It would be nice if there were a central database where you could upload your own symbols and assign them to URLs.

stinky613 14y ago

I think QR codes are almost never applied appropriately. I can Google something as quickly (if not more) than I can scan and process a QR code. True, a QR code may help me reach deep info easily, but a QR code has meaning ONLY to a computer; a URL has meaning to both a computer and to a human. Let's say I see a poster advertising, say, a contest by Budweiser to win Superbowl tickets. Two scenarios that, for the sake of argument, are mutually exclusive: A) The poster has a QR code. If I don't scan that QR code then and there my interaction is done. B) The poster has a URL (BudweiserSuperbowl.com). If I don't visit that site while I'm standing next to the advertisement there's still a chance I may remember the URL and decide to check it out later. This is the similar to the reason we invented DNS to obviate the need to memorize IP addresses. brk's example of a QR code on a washing machine at Best Buy was far more useful to Best Buy than to the customer: scanning a bar code can yield technical info, reviews, prices etc. whereas scanning a QR code will only give you the information that Best Buy or the manufacturer wants you to see. Some places I wouldn't mind seeing QR codes: - Videogames have more and more long alphanumeric strings to enter to enable online features, downloadable content, et al.; why not also include QR codes for Kinect to scan? - Mini QR codes on menus to take you directly to nutritional info for a dish could be cool

DanBC 14y ago
> URL has meaning to both a computer and to a human. I'm not convinced. I think that most people don't remember URLs, in the same way that they freak out when an error dialog pops up and the just click any button to make it go. "What did it say?" you ask, trying to fault find. "Oh, I don't know", they reply, "I just clicked [NO]". And honestly, no-one is going to remember "budweisersuperbowl.com". See also AOL using "aol keywords".
- stinky613 14y ago
  So maybe they're both bad ideas, I can accept that. In fact I know I personally would be far more likely to just Google "budweiser superbowl" than pay attention to the URL, but if I'm going to pick one or the other for my ad I'd stick with a URL. Those same people you reference certainly aren't the ones who are going to both know what a QR code is and have the motivation to scan the code. Anyone could read a url and remember it whereas no one I've heard of can look at a QR code and understand a lick of it. If nothing else I stand by a URL in this situation being a better bad idea than a QR code.