For those of you still trying to get your head around qr codes. Here's a nice guides from Chris Zobel, Director of Digital Strategy at Luckie & Company, who has put together an excellent breakdown for marketers looking to effectively incorporate them into their strategies. Chris explores the four key basics of QR code marketing and what you should be doing with your marketing.

1. 360
LuckieDigital
INSIGHTS
QR CODE MARKETING
Four Rules of QR Marketing: Knowing the Basics
Corporate Activation: Home Depot Deploys QR Codes Nationally
Stats Powerpoint Fodder: 4 Charts Every Marketer Should Have
Luckie
&
Co.
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Drive
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AL
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P
205.879.2121
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2. MARKETING WITH QR CODES
QR CODE MARKETING
Mobile
barcodes
hold
promise
for
marketers
as
a
mechanism
for
acGvaGng
other
media
and
providing
a
bridge
between
the
physical
and
digital
worlds.
But
they
CORPORATE ACTIVATION
also
present
challenges,
including
fragmentaGon
between
open
and
proprietary
HOME DEPOT TEAMS WITH
barcode
formats
and
the
requirement
that
consumers
download
a
dedicated
applicaGon
to
read
the
codes.
SCANBUY FOR NATIONAL QR PUSH
With
deployment
at
an
early
stage
in
most
markets
outside
of
Asia,
consumer
adopGon
of
barcode
scanning
remains
uneven,
both
in
general
and
across
the
leading
smartphone
plaLorms.
However,
awareness
is
growing,
thanks
in
part
to
high-­‐profile
apps
such
as
RedLaser
(now
owned
by
eBay)
and
the
inclusion
of
scanning
capabiliGes
within
popular
ecommerce
apps,
such
as
the
Amazon
app.
Given
the
hurdles
to
be
overcome,
the
burden
lies
with
marketers
to
provide
value-­‐added
experiences
that
encourage
greater
adopGon
and
repeat
usage.
(source:
eMarketer,
March
2011)
Home
improvement
retail
giant
Home
Depot
is
going
mobile.
This
week,
Home
Depot
launched
a
new
QR
code
campaign
across
the
company’s
2,200
US-­‐based
stores.
Scanbuy,
a
respected
leader
in
mobile
barcode
soluGons,
is
behind
the
Home
Depot
iniGaGve,
which
is
being
called
an
extensive
“naGonal
communicaGons
strategy”
uGlizing
mobile
barcodes
enabled
by
the
ScanLife
system.
The
effort,
says
Home
Depot,
“incorporates
2D
barcodes
(QR
codes)
to
give
customers
more
immediate
access
to
relevant
informaGon
such
as
product
raGng
and
reviews,
How-­‐To
guides
and
videos
on
specific
products.”
Customers
will
have
no
shortage
of
access
(source:
Late
Night
with
Jimmy
Fallon,
2011
opportuniGes
to
the
codes,
which
will
be
placed
in
direct
mail
pieces
linking
to
product
More
and
more,
QR
codes
are
showing
up
in
mainstream
media
although
the
informaGon
and
video
demos.
Unique
codes
will
ongoing
conversaGon
has
been
whether
or
not
QR
codes
will
take
hold
and
be
a
also
be
found
on
store
shelves,
signage
and
other
staple
in
the
digital
community.
The
fact
is
that
the
U.S.
is
in
the
lead
with
regard
tradiGonal
markeGng
material.
to
the
adopGon
of
QR/barcode
scanning
with
approximately
181%
change
within
the
past
quarter.
Codes
outside
the
store
will
also
enable
mobile
users
to
make
purchases
online
through
their
With the increase in smart- mobile
device,
converGng
any
media
into
a
virtual
phone sales in 2011, “buy
bu_on.”
consumers will have the
“The
Home
Depot’s
decision
to
bring
this
service
ability to use QR codes.
to
their
millions
of
customers
unquesGonably
Nielsen predicted that 50% shows
how
this
technology
can
be
extremely
of mobile subscribers will powerful
for
both
the
consumer
and
the
retailer,”
be smartphone users this said
Mike
Wehrs,
CEO
and
President
of
Scanbuy.
year which translates to
more than 142 million (source:
Mobile
Marke:ng
Watch,
March
23,
2009)
users by the end of 2011.
QR Code Marketing, May 2011

3. FOUR RULES OF QR CODES
USE A SHORTENED URL
SomeGmes,
simple
is
be_er.
With
QR
codes,
simple
can
make
all
the
difference.
Since
QR
codes
are
generated
based
on
the
amount
of
LONG
=
COMPLEX/BUSY
informaGon
they
contain,
the
simpler
the
info,
the
more
readable
the
This
code
is
an
example
of
code
can
be.
Some
codes
can
carry
contact
informaGon
and
will
be
more
an
extremely
long
product
complex.
Others
may
be
a
URL.
Whichever
they
may
be,
remember
that
code
from
Amazon.com
for
this
code
will
be
printed
and
you
want
to
ensure
that
the
code
is
able
to
an
iPhone
4.
NoGce
how
it
be
scanned
on
the
first
try.
Simplicity
is
the
key.
may
be
difficult
to
resize
this
code
due
to
its
In
addiGon
to
simple
codes,
the
size
of
the
code
is
important
as
well.
complexity.
Couple
size
with
complexity
and
you
have
a
recipe
for
an
ineffecGve
code.
Make
the
code
large
enough
so
the
user
doesn’t
have
to
press
their
mobile
camera
against
the
code
to
scan
it.
A
bigger
code
will
SHORT
=
SIMPLE
eliminate
codes
blurring
and
not
scanning
correctly.
This
code
sends
you
to
the
same
product
page
on
As
with
all
markeGng,
code
size
is
enGrely
dependant
on
the
execuGon.
Amazon.com
but
uses
a
Billboards
vs.
direct
mail
will
have
obvious
size
differences.
Also,
try
not
shortened
(bit.ly)
URL.
to
mess
around
with
the
color
of
the
codes.
CreaGng
creaGve
gradient
Since
it
is
less
complex,
it
codes
may
interfere
with
the
way
in
which
the
codes
are
scanned.
would
be
easier
to
resize
and
implement
creaGvely.
In
short…Keep
It
Simple
&
Scannable.
PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS
Much
of
the
conversaGon
around
QR
codes
is
that
US
QR
usage
is
low.
It’s
true,
we’re
not
at
the
forefront
of
QR
usage,
however,
the
U.S.
boasted
a
181%
increase
in
usage
since
earlier
this
year.
So
what’s
the
problem?
With
any
new
technology,
the
masses
need
to
be
led
a
bit
and
convinced.
Since
these
codes
are
sGll
in
their
infancy
in
the
US,
we’ll
need
to
handhold
a
bit
to
start.
Once
again,
we’re
living
in
a
society
of
“What’s
in
it
for
me?”
which
means
transparency
is
key.
You’ll
need
to
give
the
140
million
prospecGve
users
a
bit
of
a
QR
101
iniGally
and
this
can
be
accomplished
by
including
instrucGonal
text
with
your
codes
to
start.
InstrucGons
should
start
by
telling
users
to
scan
the
code
with
their
smartphone.
Next,
and
most
importantly,
let
them
know
what
they’ll
get
aier
scanning
it
(Rule
4
will
explain
why
this
is
so
important).
It
is
a
good
pracGce
to
give
the
user
an
addiGonal
opGon
if
they
don’t
want
to
scan
the
code.
A
URL
or
a
text-­‐to
code
may
be
most
effecGve.
Lastly,
there
is
a
good
possibility
that
the
users
may
not
have
a
2D
barcode
reader.
Readers
are
available
for
smartphones
for
free
and
they
are
universal,
so
there
should
be
an
abundance
of
readers
to
choose
from.
Let
them
know
how
to
get
a
reader.
UnGl
these
codes
are
fully
adopted,
instrucGons
like
this
will
make
penetraGon
progress
much
faster.
Once
the
hype
is
over
and
QR
is
mainstream,
the
codes
will
be
able
to
stand
on
their
own.
QR Code Marketing, May 2011

4. FOUR RULES OF QR CODES
…CONTINUED
DIRECT USERS TO A MOBILIZED DESTINATION
QR
codes
are
made
specifically
to
be
scanned
by
a
mobile
handset,
so
the
desGnaGon
that
you
are
developing
for
users
needs
to
be
mobile
opGmized.
This
means
that
once
a
code
is
scanned,
the
content
should
be
forma_ed
specifically
for
various
mulGple
handsets
(Apple
iOS,
Android,
BlackBerry).
The
easiest
way
to
lose
a
prospecGve
customer
is
to
not
have
your
messaging
in
a
format
that
is
naGve
to
the
device
it
is
being
viewed
on.
When
developing
for
mobile
handsets,
keep
in
mind
the
way
in
which
users
browse
content.
When
developing
for
smartphones
with
touch
screens,
you
need
to
accommodate
users
navigaGng
with
their
fingers,
hence
easy-­‐to-­‐use,
touch
navigaGon
needs
to
be
incorporated.
For
BlackBerrys
and
other
feature-­‐based
phones,
the
experience
may
be
a
bit
different
and
more
standard
“cursor”
navigaGon
may
need
to
be
uGlized.
BAD EXPERIENCE
GOOD EXPERIENCE
A
bad
mobile
experience
is
one
in
which
the
user
is
presented
with
Once
you
have
the
user
on
your
mobile
site,
it
is
important
to
keep
the
standard
website
that
may
not
have
all
the
funcGonality.
Flash
enGre
experience
mobile
(unless
its
part
of
a
larger
‘off-­‐mobile’
strategy).
components
may
not
show
up
and
standard
code
can
malfuncGon.
A
good
experience
is
a
concise
experience
where
select
informaGon
Keep
your
content
short,
concise
and
to
the
point.
Don’t
try
to
recreate
is
produce
and
presented
in
a
way
that
is
easy
to
navigate
and
view.
your
enGre
site
on
mobile.
SGck
to
the
facts.
Stay
focused.
PROVIDE USERS WITH VALUABLE CONTENT
No
ma_er
where
you
place
your
QR
code,
it
is
mandatory
that
you
make
sure
that
whatever
the
desGnaGon
may
be,
you
had
be_er
be
offering
the
users
something
of
worth
to
them.
In
many
cases,
marketers
are
using
the
codes
to
extend
the
markeGng
message
will
li_le
regard
for
what
the
consumer
wants.
The
truth
is
that
most
of
the
people
scanning
QR
codes
are
doing
so
to
get
coupons,
discounts
or
some
sort
of
deal.
Others
are
looking
for
addiGonal
informaGon
about
products.
This
is
the
case
for
many
apparel
and
fashion
companies
uGlizing
codes
on
tags.
When
developing
mobile
strategies,
understanding
the
price
of
entry
for
mobile
consumers
is
vital
to
the
success
of
the
campaign.
Knowing
what
it
would
take
to
get
a
user
to
scan
your
code
and
lepng
them
know
what
they’re
gepng
before
they
scan
is
the
key.
Also,
there
is
no
“one
strategy
fits
all”
methodology
here.
What
works
for
Calvin
Klein
may
not
work
for
Apple.
What
works
for
Apple
might
not
work
for
Macy’s.
As
consumers
differ,
so
is
the
method
of
entry
for
them.
The
playing
field
is
evenly
split
guys
to
gals.
It
is
important
to
match
the
QR
“scanners”
demographics
to
your
products’
target
market
and
develop
your
content
based
on
where
these
intersect.
Make
them
want
to
scan
it.
QR Code Marketing, May 2011

5. STATS
POWERPOINT FODDER
QR, or quick response, codes are being adopted by many marketers as a way to entice people into using their mobile phone
to get more information about products and services or otherwise interact more deeply with advertising. Outdoor ads invite
consumers waiting for the bus to scan a poster to reach a relevant website, catalogs integrate QR codes to hook directly
into ecommerce sites and stores place codes next to products that direct shoppers to how-to videos online. But how much
have consumers caught on to what mobile barcodes can do?
According to February 2011 research from agency MGH, awareness is high among smartphone owners. Nearly two-thirds
have seen a QR code, and about half that number, or one-third overall, had used one. The demographic breakdown of users
who had seen vs. used a QR code was virtually identical. Smartphone users were almost evenly split by gender, and while
users under age 55 were relatively few, the field was not dominated by 18- to 34-year-olds. Users who had seen or used QR
codes tended to be more affluent and educated.
Most
respondents
reported
seeing
QR
codes
on
a
product,
followed
by
in
a
magazine
or
on
a
coupon.
And
they
were
typically
used
to
get
coupons
or
discounts,
or
to
access
informaGon.
(source:
eMarketer,
March
2011)
DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
WHERE TO USE THEM
WHERE ARE THEY BEING USED
US BARCODE GROWTH
QR Code Marketing, May 2011

6. CONTACT
US
Adding QR codes to the marketing mix is quickly moving from an experiment
to an essential ingredient. More studies and credible bodies of research are
emerging from venerable institutions like Cornell and Harvard, and industry
associations like eMarketer and Nielson pointing to the increases in positive
consumer behavior from website visits to increases in sales and increases in
value per order.
Let us help you integrate QR codes into your marketing mix in a way that
makes the most sense for your business
Chris Zobel
Director of Digital Strategy
With
over
15
years
experience
in
the
digital
space,
Chris
heads
up
our
digital
strategy
and
planning
group.
Chris
is
tasked
with
developing
customized
digital
markeGng
strategies
for
clients,
as
well
as
idenGfying
opportuniGes
and
providing
digital
soluGons
to
help
support
the
full
integraGon
of
digital
media
throughout
everything
we
do.
From
online
ads
to
online
gaming,
he
finds
the
right
place
for
the
right
message.
chris.zobel@luckie.com
For
further
insight
you
can
follow
Chris
on
Twi_er
twi_er.com/chriszobel