QR stands for “quick response,” and these codes provide immediate access to information. A QR code is a barcode read by a cell phone that can store any alphanumeric data within it. The codes are commonly seen in places such as billboards, product labels, business cards, and buildings. The system of these codes is starting to become more common due to its speed, readability, and giant storage capacity.
These codes are international, so a QR code is a QR code no matter where you are in the world. The popularity of these codes is increasing in Japan, Europe, Canada, and the United States. If a cell phone has the required decoding software someone can, just point the phone at the code, scan, and it will open up the browser and go straight to the URL. Mobile QR codes can also encode phone numbers that can go right into your mobile contacts; a video ready to watch; a social media page; an email address; an event calendar; an address located on Google maps; and many other types of data sources. The process of accessing the encoded information is quite simple.
Cell phones must have the proper software in order to use the QR codes. So a QR scanning application must be downloaded. Some of the applications that can be downloaded to scan QR codes are free, but the higher quality scanning applications can be bought for a very low price. The scanner will determine what type of information is contained in the code and will lead you to the appropriate source.
A QR code can be customized, so that the color of the code can be changed to the color of your brand. However, when generating a color code, the color of the dots in the code must always be darker than the background color in order to access the information.
The amount of information that can be contained within a QR code is increasing and in turn, making a positive outlook for the future of these barcodes.
For creative ideas in using QR codes in your marketing materials, contact Tate Design.
Do large businesses use QR codes?
Yes, QR codes are becoming popular among many large businesses. For example, Dick’s Sporting Goods displayed a QR code on the big screen during a football game to offer discounts and special promotions. Pepsi printed QR codes on bottles that directed users to a custom landing page. J.C. Penney also used QR codes to let customers add a personal voice recording to gift tags. These are only a few examples of the large amount of companies using QR codes.
Do only iPhones have QR code scanner apps?
No, several types of phones have scanner applications such as Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, and the Palm Treo. The types of scanning applications offered vary depending on the type of phone. Optiscan and QRafter are popular for iPhones. QR Pal and QR Droid are common for Android users. Quickmark is a scanning app for Windows Mobile, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, and the Palm Treo.
Karen
I am very interested in learning bmore about these QR codes for our business. They seem to be the way to go
Great! Thanks for your interest. We will contact you to discuss how we can help.