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NotDave
Original Poster
20,951 posts
26 months
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As per title, does anyone have experience of using QR codes within marketing?
Particularly with reference to manufacturing of machinery, B2B level, purchases made on financial & reputation basis.
Been asked to look into it, as to ascertain whether it's just a gimmick or something we should be using more
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Frimley111R
4,219 posts
103 months
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Gimmick. There been a lot of discussions about it but so far I have only seen seriously dedicated marketing programmes make much of them, i.e. programmes based around using them. The key issue is that most people still don't know what they are or what they do. Even if they did QR codes are only graphical links, hardly likley to be anything more than a niche marketing activity. Also, they rely on people haveing smar phones with QR reader apps. I suspect that, in time, some segments will use it more but for most its not something they are missing out on.
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NotDave
Original Poster
20,951 posts
26 months
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My thoughts are similar.
We sell to large national companies, who do they're research & buy kit at £25,000-£500,000 and I just can't see QR codes being all that great barring being a quick link to the YouTube videos of the machines in action or our website.
Selling chocolate or trainers to 16 year olds maybe, but 99%+ of our customers are male, aged 30-55.
Am I being naive?
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LooneyTunes
2,439 posts
27 months
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khushy
3,387 posts
88 months
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IMHO a gimmick - like 07000 ALPHABET numbers in the 90's that nobody understood - it will die a death soon enough!
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godskitchen
61 posts
16 months
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I use a qr code on my business card.
Scan it and it automatically adds my details to your phone.
Very handy.
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Spanna
1,503 posts
45 months
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Being a signwriter I've noticed a bit of a trend of these lately. A guy come to have his van done and wanted his QR on the sides and rear. While I was doing them I was thinking how will anyone even be able to scan these other than when it's parked up.
It is a useful tool for those in the know and I like that business card QR above, that is useful and I didn't know they could work like that. However, how many people are likely to firstly see the advert, like what they see, thirdly notice the QR, have a smartphone with a QR reader, have the time to get the phone out to scan or are even interested enough to do so.
I don't think using them is a bad or useless thing to do though. They're simple, don't take up much room on an advert and they don't cost anything. One guy recently had a sign done by me, he had a QR code that had the initials of the business within it, I'm not sure how, but it looked good on the signs.
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LooneyTunes
2,439 posts
27 months
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godskitchen said: I use a qr code on my business card.
Scan it and it automatically adds my details to your phone.
Very handy. Out of curiosity, does your card say that that's what will happen?
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miniman
16,015 posts
131 months
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godskitchen said: I use a qr code on my business card.
Scan it and it automatically adds my details to your phone.
Very handy. If the person has a QR reader.
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0a
8,442 posts
63 months
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A marketing team I worked with put them in high footfall areas (many millions / month) and where people linger.
It didn't work at all - people can't be bothered to open the app to scan them, don't have the app, or can't be bothered to get it. A complete waste of time.
Has anyone ever scanned a QR code for anything other than to see how they work or because they work in marketing and are testing them? I doubt it!
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otolith
19,407 posts
73 months
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Not a marketing use, but the guys on the gate at Goodwood were scanning the QR codes on the tickets to count people in and out.
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LooneyTunes
2,439 posts
27 months
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0a said: Has anyone ever scanned a QR code for anything other than to see how they work or because they work in marketing and are testing them? I doubt it! Not me... for the reason hinted at in my question earlier in the thread. Why would anyone want their device to take you to an unknown website or do something potentially random that could be a PITA to undo?
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Stu R
19,536 posts
84 months
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I see them as largely a waste of time / gimmick in the UK, much more widely used in the US, but still nothing revolutionary. Used properly I think they can be good and have their place - I've seen quite a few TV ads making good use of them, realtors using them on the signs at advertised properties, and so on, but too many bad examples dilute their usefulness.
I think not being able to differentiate between a good or a waste of time QR is their biggest problem, as I suspect it means that most people will automatically assume it's the latter, so the whole thing has the 'gimmick' feel unless it's being peddled by a big brand like Ford or Coke, who I'm sure see far more impressive engagement figures because they've got the budget to deliver device-specific content etc.
I think the point I'm trying to make is if they add something to an experience and give the audience further layers of interaction and/or content which rewards them for their time, they can be useful, but the fact they're mainly used as a URL shortener and ad combo means any potential to 'wow' by using them is very limited unless you're a billion dollar multinational brand, or very creative, and even then not many people know what they are. Of the ones that do know about them, I suspect only a small fraction bother to install RedLaser or the like, and of those that do only a fraction of those few will be snapping QRs regularly.
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NotDave
Original Poster
20,951 posts
26 months
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Thanks for all the replies, a fair bit to take on.
My thoughts are possibly to:
- incorporate them into our adverts & brochures
- business cards
- when we do expos have them around
But not go hell for leather in a quest to use them widely.
In essence, a small additional tool as opposed to a focal point.
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Simpo Two
54,274 posts
134 months
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otolith said: Not a marketing use, but the guys on the gate at Goodwood were scanning the QR codes on the tickets to count people in and out. Thumbclickers too simple eh?  Let's face it, QR is technology for the sake of it, to be trendy.
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miniman
16,015 posts
131 months
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Simpo Two said: Thumbclickers too simple eh? Let's face it, QR is technology for the sake of it, to be trendy. I'd say the Goodwood example is one where there's actually a point to using QR codes - not only do they know how many people are there, but who they are.
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otolith
19,407 posts
73 months
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Simpo Two said: otolith said: Not a marketing use, but the guys on the gate at Goodwood were scanning the QR codes on the tickets to count people in and out. Thumbclickers too simple eh? Let's face it, QR is technology for the sake of it, to be trendy. Do thumbclickers validate ticket numbers and make sure that people aren't reusing tickets to get more people in?
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godskitchen
61 posts
16 months
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LooneyTunes said: Out of curiosity, does your card say that that's what will happen? No, its just the qr code. It gets people talking, they ask what it is. If not I tell them. I run an IT company so it makes me look super advanced in most peoples eyes. It is very handy to have all my contact details entered into a persons phone, they have to take the phone out anyway to put my number in. Why not scan it and have my phone number, email, Skype, website and office address entered for you...... I have done a couple of presentations to groups of people, say 30 or so, and I have had a qr on every slide. I set it up that if someone scanned the code during the presentation they were taken to a page on my website and it told them to ask a certain question at the end. If they did this I would give them a spot prize and explain to the rest of the audience what just happened. I would then quickly explain how to scan the qr codes and then tell them that if they wanted to download a copy of the presentation they could scan the code left on display at the end of the power point. Its not really that amazing in any way but when you are presenting to a room of non tech people trying to drum up IT business it makes an impression. It is like witch craft to some people. I also use them on IT equipment I service. For example a patch panel or rj11 phone panel. Scan the qr code, takes me to a passworded google doc with info on where all the leads terminate. It has came in very handy.No need to get the laptop out when I am up a ladder. I also put them on any Server I am maintaining. I have couple on each. One for my use, storing passwords, ip config and other info that I don't want to carry around in my head. The other is for the client, it gives then a step by step breakdown on the work carried out, by whom and when. It also gives then a step by step guide on how to recover the Server from disaster. I am a one man band most of the time and some clients are tech savvy enough to follow instructions if I can't get to them for a few hours. The qr will bring then to a page on my website with pictures and guides on what to do. It may never be used (has not so far) but I think it makes me stand out from the crowd. In terms of marketing, I'm not sure how effective they are, I think they would be if people knew what they were. Oh and plane tickets...... The sooner I can get my boarding pass emailed to me in the form of a qr the better. I hate carrying paper.
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Simpo Two
54,274 posts
134 months
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otolith said: Do thumbclickers validate ticket numbers and make sure that people aren't reusing tickets to get more people in? He just said they were counting people in and out. As a student in the '80s a rubber stamp on your wrist allowed you to go in and out. Seemed to work well enough. If I see a QR code on something in the supermarket I assume the marketing department is getting desperate or bored. Facebook one week, then Twitter, then QR - what next week eh?
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otolith
19,407 posts
73 months
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They were, although perhaps I should have said checking in and out rather than [i]counting[\i]. You keep your ticket and can get in and out through the day. If they didn't check them in and out, you could go in with half your friends, collect up tickets, go out and come back in with the rest of your friends!
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