Little squares made up of various black and white boxes, you’ve seen them on bus shelters, inside of mass transit, or in magazines. You’ve probably wondered “what the hell is this?” That, my friend, is a 2D bar code. Often called a QR code, it’s the latest way marketing goof-balls are jumping on the “me too” bandwagon. If you see a QR code (and actually know what it is) you can download an app on your phone, take a picture of the code and voila! you get content.
Brands and marketers don’t seem to grasp how disengaging this is. So, what better way to create a dialogue than running through the 11 Reasons QR Codes Suck.
QR Codes:
Make receiving simple content difficult
Lack measurement compared to text messaging
Lack follow-up
Require mobile devices to stop being mobile
Can’t go viral
Remove brand association
Only work on smart phones with cameras
Take up a lot of space
Have no standard format
Can’t be used in television or radio
Are still not recognized by the general public