Help a Marketer by Scanning a QR Code

Photo via  sndrv

eMarketer released a May 2011 report on QR codes and followed up this past July with another report, QR Codes: Marketers Keep Hitting ‘Go,’ but Slow Consumer Adoption Still Slow to see where QR Codes currently stand, and the news is not good even with the continued growth of smartphones. eMarketer concludes that there is no mass audience and those users that do only scan once and do nothing with the information.

Highlights include:

– A May 2012 Business Insider article notes 42% of Teen Vogue’s teen readers of the magazine scanned QR Codes.

– Marketers strive forward with 33% using QR Codes to drive web traffic with half of the QR Codes appearing in printed materials such as flyers, brochures, and magazines.

– Customizing the look of QR Codes in various colors and brand logos may improve the use rather than the generic black and white appearance of QR Codes.

– May be a disconnect between consumers and brands: consumers want deals and discounts while brands want to deliver information but are now changing their view.

– Some think the added step of opening an app to snap a photo or make a scan keeps consumers from taking advantage of scanning QR Codes.

Executive quotes:

– “QR Codes are very effective and useful for a lot of these campaigns, but creative people do not like using them, especially the luxury brands,” said Roger Matus, EVP of Nellymoser.

– “When we send out a mobile promotion or a mobile coupon, redemption rates can be as high as 30%,” said Red Fish Media president Matt McKenna.