Interested to find out more about perception and awareness of QR (Quick Response) codes.
I would be really grateful if you could comment with your first response upon seeing the odd black and white image attached to this post – even if it’s with “what the…?!”.
Do you know what it’s for? If you do, do you make use of them? If you don’t, have you seen them before and wondered what they were?
20 Responses to A QR Investigation…
I thought they were for smartphones so you can scan it using a barcode reader and go direct to the information online on your phone. I scanned one just yesterday when I was in Tesco to get a link for more details of one of their irons so I could then check it out when I was at home and remember which iron it was I’d been looking at without having to write all the information down (dull I know, but useful!)
Thanks Debbie! Would you use them again?
Oh yes definitely, much quicker and less hassle than finding a pen and paper to write the info down on.
Brilliant thanks
Which Smart Phone are you using? And do you mind sharing details of the scanner app you used?
I love them, they’re so useful. We use them for recipes on cooking programmes and things we see on posters and bill boards etc..
I had wondered about people using them from the TV?
Hi, Laura.
I don’t see many of them around but I did consider using them on my business cards. The one thing that stopped me – or at least made me reconsider their use – was that even if people had smart-phones that had the QR app on them would they know what they were?
I think they’d be a great idea if people knew more about them. I’d definitely use them!
Hope that helps.
Nick
Thanks Nick, I think many people share that concern.
I wonder if the concept has a short shelf life?
Maybe
The QR codes are definitely worth a shot. The way you’ve used yours is a great example. Do you have any plans to use them for anything else?
Thanks, I’m not sure. Have loved the idea of them from the start but they’re not overly attractive for using on business stationary… Will keep my ear to the ground for the time being I think. Can totally see the benefits, just not sure if it’s going to be a here today gone tomorrow thing.
Hadn’t considered that they weren’t overly attractive on the stationary – just thought they looked interesting because they were different!
A lot of people seem to be pushing them or explaining what they are but as you say there seems to be very little uptake with them.
I’m looking forward to seeing what you decide to do
I like them. I have seen them in color on a few websites that members have used instead of their photo.
They’re popping up on everything.
HSN (shopping channel) even mentioned calling your local cable provider (I’m in the USA) if you didn’t see the reader in the bottom of your screen… they now feature a product specific reader on the screen during every product presentation.
Conventions:
And, I’ve seen them also on attendee and vendor name tags at conventions.
They are nice and a quick link to a destination website, which is easily bookmarked and accessible in search history (until auto or manually cleared).
Hi Laura,
Seems as though I have stumbled across your blog a little late in the day ;o)
QR Codes definitely are not a here today gone tomorrow thing. They are still in their infancy as to their use.
E.g. Shops are using them more to display Sales items in their windows. Scan the code and get a dynamically generated Discount Voucher.
or
Estate Agents – When the shop is closed you can provide codes of all the properties in the windows. Passersby can scan the code and get a more detailed profile of a property. A 3d Tour perhaps (in their hand) and link to the spot on a live Google Map.
or
Adventure Courses & Treasure Hunts – leave QR Codes round a course at given points in the country side or a Pub Crawl (not very adventurous I know) and people scan the code to get the next clue or proof of their visit.
and
“they’re not overly attractive for using on business stationary”
You can do a lot more with them than you think. Have a look at one we are working on. It’s no where near finished and we have used quality images yet so it won’t scan every time. The final code will scan perfectly.
Yodelay’s Test QR Code for Laura
Hopefully that will get some of your creative juices going!
Love your site btw
Duncan
Hi Duncan, thanks so much for your detailed response
I wanted to update here really as since writing this I have now bought entirely into the concept and can see the huge potential for the use of QR codes. I already have them on my business cards for and they have provided some brilliant conversations!
We opted for simple B&W as it was in keeping with the design of our site but I adore what you did with the example above – so clever! We considered adding stars from our logo into ours but that may come with the next step
Thanks again for the comment and the kind words. Am mid re-vamp right now so I hope you like the new look as much!
Laura
I first heard of QR codes from an artist friend who wanted to do a project utilizing them. She wanted me to help her with the web presence part of it.
That never happened, but I did the Google on them and realized I’d seen them in advertising already.
Then I fooled around with them.
I wish they weren’t so ugly.
Have managed to replace the black with color but they don’t seem to work if you change the white. (From the monitor — to cheap to print it out to test).
sample: http://www.arthousecoop.com/submission_images/31961
I’m keeping my eyes peeled for art that incorporates them. Started a Pinboard on it today. Have some ideas…
hmmm Yodelay’s “wooden” one (link in Duncan’s comment) worked. hmmmm
Hi Laura
I’m using these on my chocolates and have had a good response – http://chocolatatoi.org/2011/05/if-steve-jobs-were-your-dad/
hey laura
one of our students made a ‘trivial pursuit’ type game using qr codes. you can have a look at it here – http://www.tomsaundersmpt.co.uk/portfolio/six-wedges/
I think they can be quite useful if used properly. I have seen so many bad uses of QR codes though. I saw one the other day that was about 2cm big and the camera couldn’t focus properly to scan it. Useful but in the right place/context.
QR codes can direct the browser of your smartphone to any URL by scanning them with your device. This is very convenient for downloads and (other) calls to action. Personally, I use QR code regularly. What I do not understand is that there the Google Play app store is not facilitating QR codes.