The Sun Shines on QR Codes

Howard Furr-Barton, Managing Director of online marketing agency Brand Attention, offers an update on the use of QR Codes in mobile marketing and pleads for digital agencies to make sure that they are used in conjunction with mobile-friendly websites

The QR Code made its mainstream UK debut in The Sun last month. Tabloid temptress Keeley Hazel was pictured sporting a giant QR Code (amongst other assets), for an eight-page feature explaining QR Codes and their role in The Suns mobile offering. The Sun sends readers to football results, news articles and page three of its dedicated mobile site through URLs embedded within the QR Codes.
This foremost exposure of the QR Code to such a sizable, mainstream audience has, I believe, sparked the fuse for its launch into the mass UK market. With other newspapers set to follow suit, 2008 is set to become the year in which the foundations of 2D barcode technology are accepted as a conventional means of data capture.
This acceptance is leading to advancements in the codes themselves, the expansion of their data capacity and the readers used to capture that data. Companies heading the research and development include technology and IT giants, IBM and Google. Google in particular has stamped its recognition of the QR Code with the launch of its own  QR Code reader, the ZXing. It seems Google plans to use the QR Codes in conjunction with its recent move into printed media throughout US markets. A QR Code reader has also been developed for Apples iphone. Its thought that by 2010, all new handset models will include a code reader as standard. At present, Nokias N series phones remain the only QR ready handsets; however code readers can be downloaded for free for any modern phone.

With rapid advances in code readers, it could be assumed that the next generation of 2D barcodes wont be too far behind. This is probably not the case. QR Codes have been a common sight in Japan for over five years, so if its taken this long to gain acceptance into the mainstream UK market, its probably fair to assume that the QR Code will probably remain a uniform mobile barcode for at least a few years.
Creative marketing agencies have taken immediate notice of the QR Codes birth and,  in particular, its acceptance by UK consumers. At this early stage of the QR life cycle, most QR savvy consumers will zap just about any code they see, just out of curiosity.  In turn, marketers are pushing the boundaries of strategic and creative applications for the QR Code, so expect them to see them popping up just about everywhere in 2008.
It seems then that mobile data capture is here to stay, and is becoming an integral part of any strategic marketing plan. Its cost effectiveness shouldnt be overlooked either. Free to generate and free to read. However, consumer traffic volume remains completely ineffectual if the directed website is not mobile ready, a fundamental mistake still being made by professional marketing agencies. A dedicated mobile website, designed specifically to meet the limitations of mobile screen sizes and navigational control, relieves the visitor of endless scrolling and constant eye strain. It should also be noted that mobile websites, as with traditional sites, are obliged to comply fully with W3C website standards, another ignorance of many agencies.
Get it right and youve got an effective mobile marketing tool, get it wrong and youve frustrated your customers and restricted accessibility.