QR Code Marketing – Why You Shouldn’t Use It

Mar 23 2011

Back in the pre-iPhone days, QR codes were a truly useful and innovative idea. It’s difficult to type a URL into an old-style mobile browser, so QR codes enabled the (mainly Japanese) user to get to a website more quickly.

Those days are over now and this way of using QR codes has no part to play in modern marketing. It’s the height of pointlessness to print a large QR code on a pack, magazine or billboard when a URL serves the same purpose and is more effective. One of my favourite brands is Moleskine, and I noticed that they now have both a QR code and a barcode printed on the pack. I was interested to see what the QR code did but wasn’t surprised when it simply took me to the home page of their (non-mobile) website. What were they thinking?

So how should you use QR codes in your marketing campaign? The answer is simple: you shouldn’t. If you need to communicate something to a consumer, then communicate it. Don’t put technical barriers and gimmicks in the way for the sake of ‘coolness’. You want to send a consumer to a website? Tell them the URL. Make it memorable and give them a reason to go there.

Related posts:

  1. Win a £1,000 shopping spree with Müller Light
  2. Babybel – Free Space Hopper
  3. Integrating Digital into Traditional Advertising and Marketing Agencies

2 responses so far

  1. Ambiguous
    on 04 Apr 2011 at 2:48 pm

    I think there is an alternative argument and good cause to use QR codes for the following reasons:

    a) It encourages people who might otherwise be put off going to a website because of the need to type in a long URL to visit
    b) It shows a company has entered mobile compatible technology and infers there might be more, so its worth a visit
    c) It also indicates a company is participating in state of the art technology and is therefore aware of the value of impression management

    In a years time it may seem like old hat, but for now, put them on!

  2. hinsel
    on 30 Mar 2011 at 10:17 pm

    I couldn’t agree more!

    Not only do the people who are requesting this technology not understand WHAT it actually IS, they are far from comprehending HOW to use it as well.

    I’ve had endless clients bugging me to put a qr code for their site on their site…and it’s like Uhm…they are ALREADY ON your site. Do you want it there in case they have to go drop the kids off at the pool and want to look at your site on their phone!? Do you even HAVE a mobile site if that is the case!?

    Aye dios mio. We give em books and we give em books and whatta they do? Wipe their bums with the pages. I swear. Keep fighting the good fight.