QR codes have become an unlikely staple in today’s business world, thanks in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After years of languishing in obscurity, QR codes are now thrust into the spotlight to help businesses achieve contactless operations. Businesses of all sizes across many industries have quickly adapted to the use of QR codes, from restaurants and retail stores to medical facilities and even schools.
QR code’s newfound popularity has also led many business verticals to explore how they can use QR codes to their advantage. From payment processing to customer loyalty programs to employee training, companies are employing these codes to enhance their operations in countless ways.
And the marketing sphere is not immune to this QR code revolution.
With their propensity for driving engagement and interaction, QR codes offer an excellent vehicle for marketers to reach their target audiences where they are — on their mobile devices.
If you’d like to reach your audience more efficiently and effectively, read on. We’ll not only explain how QR codes work, but how they can work for you, supercharging your marketing campaigns.
What Are QR Codes?
If you’re unfamiliar with QR codes, they are those little black-and-white squares that look like a cross between a barcode and a puzzle. You might have seen them recently on product packaging, business cards, or billboards.
Short for quick response, QR codes are a kind of matrix barcode that smartphones and other devices equipped with a camera (and the right software) can read. They can serve as a QR code file document management system. Upon scanning, these codes can trigger an array of actions, from opening a website to downloading a file to composing an email.
For instance, a QR code placed on a business card could, when scanned, automatically populate the contact information of the person whose card it is into your phone’s address book. Or, a QR code on a product’s packaging could pull up additional product information, like ingredients or reviews, on your phone’s browser — just like Hershey’s QR codes. The well-known chocolate company employs QR codes on its Milk Chocolate packaging to promote ingredient transparency.
Why Use QR Codes for Marketing?
While ingredient lists are all well and good, you might be wondering, What about marketing? Although QR codes have a plethora of applications in many areas, marketing is one where these little squares can pack a big punch. Let’s see why.
QR Codes Cut Out the Intermediary Steps
QR codes offer consumers a direct path from your marketing materials to your desired call to action. No need for customers to type in a URL or search for your business online. They just scan the code and go directly where you want them to go. This can be a website, a landing page for giveaways and promotions, or even a page where you offer a free download that will increase engagement and build a returning audience.
Take Lacoste’s ads during the 2019 French Open, for example. The company included QR codes that allowed viewers to scan and shop the on-screen outfits of their player sponsorships. By cutting out the need to search online or visit a brick-and-mortar store, Lacoste made it easy for viewers to get the products they wanted — right then and there.
QR Codes Are Inexpensive and Easy to Create
Since its revival, the QR code has become democratized, with many free online generators that allow you to create your own codes. And, if you want to get more creative with your codes, you can also find paid options that offer customizable design templates and support for trackable analytics, which will bring you a profit and won’t raise the web development cost too much.
All you need is a well-defined objective and a clear call to action, and you can create a QR code that will help you achieve your marketing goals — without breaking the bank.
QR Codes Are Trackable and Allow Access to First-Party Data
Unlike traditional offline marketing collateral, QR codes can track and measure engagement. Thanks to built-in analytics, you can see exactly how many people scanned your code and when they did it. This valuable data can give you insights into what’s working and what isn’t, meaning you can fine-tune your campaigns for maximum impact.
What’s more, with QR codes, you can also capture first-party data — something that is increasingly crucial as third-party data sources, like cookies, become less prevalent. This data can help you create more targeted and personalized content in the future.
A great example is Whole Foods‘ use of QR codes to offer discounts to Amazon Prime members. If you’re a Prime member, you can have the cashier scan a QR code from your Whole Foods app to receive a 10% discount. The company can then use the data from QR code scans to understand its customers’ shopping habits and create tailored marketing campaigns.
QR Code Marketing Use-Cases
The possibilities for using QR codes are nearly endless. And as more and more brands adopt this tool for marketing, we’re seeing some truly innovative and creative examples of how codes are being applied. Consider the creative examples below to inspire your own QR code campaigns.
Coinbase’s Super Bowl Ad
This year, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase ran a QR code-based ad during the Super Bowl. The ad, which featured a bouncing QR code, was intended to get people to sign up for a Coinbase account and receive $15 of free Bitcoin.
The 60-second spot cost the company $13 million, but it was a shrewd investment. The day after the ad aired, Coinbase saw a 309% increase in app downloads. And the following day, downloads increased by another 286%. In fact, the company’s app crashed due to the influx of traffic.
Super Bowl ad slots are among the largest advertising platforms money can buy, and Coinbase’s ad was a prime example of the QR code’s potential as an attention-grabbing advertising tactic.
Adidas’ Pulseboost Campaign
Thanks to a partnership with Spotify, each pair of Adidas Pulseboost HD shoes comes with a QR code that will take you to a playlist of songs specifically chosen to get you pumped up for your run. The playlist differs depending on your location, so you’ll have different tunes to get you going if you’re running in a park in London than if you’re hitting the streets of New York City.
The idea is simple but one that’s sure to resonate with runners — many of whom listen to music while they run. This campaign illustrates the benefits of integrating QR codes with other marketing technologies, like geo-location in this case, to deliver a more personalized experience.
Louis Vuitton’s Takashi Murakami Collab
French fashion house Louis Vuitton collaborated with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami to create a line of custom QR codes. The codes, created by Murakami, are colorful and playful, a far cry from the bland black-and-white codes we’re used to seeing.
The campaign, which ran in Japan, invited customers to scan the code and view the new handbag range, which was co-designed by Murakami and Louis Vuitton. This was a clever way to use QR codes to add a touch of fun and personality to the products while also creating buzz around the collaboration.
Best Practices for Using QR Codes
At this point, we’ve covered some of the reasons you should use QR codes and we’ve seen some great examples of their use — so how do you do it? How do you realize the QR code’s full potential in your marketing campaign? Let’s look at some best practices to help you get the most out of your codes.
Prepare Your Resources in Advance
While QR codes are relatively low-cost and easy to create, you’ll still need to allocate resources to planning, design, and execution. Because, just like any other marketing project, a QR code campaign will need to be well thought-out and carefully executed before it can yield successful results. Planning ahead will also help you avoid last-minute scrambling, which can lead to mistakes and errors that could damage your campaign. So, create a resource schedule and decide on a budget beforehand to ensure that your QR code campaigns get the attention they deserve.
Position Your Codes Strategically
If your QR code is tucked away in a corner or hidden from plain sight, potential customers might walk right past it without a second glance. To ensure your code stands out and gets noticed, place it at strategic points throughout the customer journey. If you’re wondering how to grow an auto repair shop using customer feedback, for example, you could place your QR code on a “Thank You” note or the final invoice to have a pleasant customer experience.
And if you want to boost app downloads, put the code on your product packaging or in-store signage. These are just a few examples of how you can use prime locations at significant customer interaction points to make sure your code gets seen — and scanned.
Keep Your Codes Simple and Readable
Getting creative with your code design can be tempting —and we’ve seen how effective creative codes can be — but resist the urge to go overboard. When it comes to QR codes, simplicity is everything. Remember, the whole point of a QR code is to be quickly and easily scannable. Check that the code is easy to read and avoid busy patterns or background images that could make scanning difficult. The code should also have enough space around it so any misalignment won’t affect the scan.
Beware of the Ethical Implications
QR codes are a powerful marketing tool, but they can also be abused. As a marketer, guarantee that you’re using your codes ethically, in a way that will not mislead or deceive your customers. To do this, lead with transparency and honesty in your marketing campaigns. Make it clear what customers can expect when they scan your code and be upfront about any data you’ll be collecting. Following ethical principles will help you create a strong foundation for your marketing campaigns — one that will serve you well in the long run.
Stay open to new trends and possibilities
As with any new tech that hits the market, staying curious and open to new possibilities can help you stay ahead of the game and prepare for future trends. Because while QR codes are an established technology, their use cases continue to expand. So, make it a point to research and learn about emerging technologies that can help you get the most out of your QR code campaigns. Then experiment with them and see how you can use or combine them with your QR codes to drive better results. Plus, keeping up with disruptive future trends is a great way to establish yourself as a leader in your niche and set yourself apart from the competition. Just like how CoinBase’s QR code ad campaign took the cryptocurrency world by storm — and even managed to snag a spot as one of the most successful ads in Super Bowl history.
Start Marketing with QR Codes
The power of QR codes lies in their ability to bridge the offline and online worlds. By allowing customers to quickly and easily access digital content from physical objects, QR codes have opened up a whole new world of marketing possibilities.
If you’re looking to reach new customers and interact with them in a meaningful way, QR codes are your ticket to the next level. With a little creativity and some strategic thinking, you can use QR codes to deliver a unique and impactful customer experience. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your QR code campaign today.
