From Mitch Joel:
You have me. Create an experience.
Having a QR code on an ad simply to pander to the clients and checkbox the “mobile marketing” portion of your integrated advertising campaign is not only a bad advertising experience it’s a really negative brand experience that lingers. Think of the additional effort and permission that a customer is giving you to take out their mobile and spend the time to access your additional goodness… and that’s what you give them? Marketers have to up their game. A link to a YouTube video is simply not enough. Mobile – in and of itself – is a unique experience, so if you can’t take the time to creatively think about how a QR code component to your campaign can really be something special for those who walk the extra mile with your brand – especially taking into account where they are when they access it – you may as well drop it from your marketing mix.
Anyone who has ever talked digital marketing with me for more than 30 seconds knows that I have a fairly large aversion to QR Codes (those little back and white checkered things you are starting to see everywhere). It is an interesting technology that is extremely popular overseas, but tends to fall somewhat flat here in the US (especially when it comes to execution). There are plenty who will disagree with me, as QR seems to be the shiny new object, but I just don’t think it has the adoption we hope it does and I’m not quite sure it ever will.
I could rant on this subject for hours, but suggest you read Mitch’s post for a more measured look at why QR Codes just aren’t working.
