QR-codes – new look to the future

QR-code (“quick response”) – is a matrix bar code have been developed by Toyota car company – the Japanese Denso-Wave company in 1994. Originally the technology intended for the use in automotive industry but later gained widespread distribution in other industries. QR-codes – are graphic images that are formed by a special algorithm, which allows scanner on a mobile device to recognize and process inherent in information.

One of the main reasons for the rapid spread of QR-technology in the world – is growth of the number of smartphone and tablet owners. After code scanning, the user, more often, is directed to the appropriate website, where receives more information about the product or service. A significant factor in the growth and penetration of QR is to inform people about the technology – for example, in Japan it was actively promoted by extensive TV advertising.

Most often, QR-codes appear on billboards, in newspapers, on labels – that is, wherever brands want to convey information to consumers about their products and services in the most convenient and quick form.

QR-Codes are used by airlines to offer passengers boarding pass issue with this technology. In outdoor advertising and print media QR-codes are used to promote various kinds of products – from household and electronic appliances to car sales.

The most popular codes are in Japan (they are used by more than 50% of mobile users), in the USA (14 million of users) and in the UK (4 million of people). According to the number of scanned QR-Codes leading are the USA, Canada, the UK and Japan. Among operating systems for smartphones, which were used to scan QR-code, the most popular in 2011 showed iOS and Android, which are by far ahead of RIM (BlackBerry), Windows and Symbian (Nokia).

QR-codes primarily considered to be a tool of advertising and marketing, they are widely used in the retail industry. For example, in South Korea, retailer Tesco uses this technology for interactive boards in subway – consumers on the go choose and order products that can be delivered by the time of arrival home.

This enabled Tesco for 3 months to increase revenue from delivery up to 130%, and the number of registered users – 76%.

However, the QR-technology is successfully applied in such industries as banking, transportation and logistics, healthcare, education, social projects, etc.

In the USA, QR-codes, placed in the library, allow students to easily find electronic versions of books in the classroom – get links to resources. Also, students can create their own codes to share their academic work and assignments with classmates and teachers.

More airline and rail companies, place QR-codes on tickets, to automate and speed up the registration process.

QR-code as an element of modern design elements used in clothing (T-shirts – put information about yourself or your company), household items, and even tattoos.

As a matter of exterior QR-code can occupy a building facade. Example is a project of business center design for :

Artists use QR codes, augmented reality to create their posters, allowing to see the video or hear the music. Also it was made QR-codes engraving on tombstones, which contained deceased biography.

In Canada, in June 2012 1,300 people gathered to create a giant QR-code as an action for the benefit of a charitable organization “Youth Unlimited North York”. Giant QR codes were created in different parts of the world as promotional and charity events, each time collecting hundreds of people and generating media coverage.

Patients in health care facilities may also be potential users of QR-codes. They will be useful to search for product information, physicians and the department as a whole, as well as recommendations for prevention and treatment of diseases. For doctors it could be an effective instrument of filing, archiving, online access to patient records and communication with them.

In the United States, QR-codes are used as a small business and large distribution companies. Thus, the American fast food chain Taco Bell used QR-codes on packs, with which customers have access to MTV video. Procter & Gamble and Kraft Foods use QR-codes as coupons for discounts. HSN (Home Shopping Network) held a four-day QR-marathon in which the code with reference to the detailed information about the products displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Using QR-metrics, marketers can provide more detailed customer's portrait, rather than using traditional means. At low cost, small business can provide relevant information to the target audience, thanks to the specifics of QR-advertising material can be updated without significant cost.

QR-Codes allow to estimate the effectiveness of advertising. You can determine how many people came to your site after the campaign and from what locations.

Printed promotional products can reissued with the same QR-code, even if the information about the product or service is obsolete. Code can contain the same link: all that is required to change – that is, information on your site. This allows you not to republish “paper” advertising and thereby significantly reduce costs.

Below you can see the most popular programs of reading and decoding QR-code for mobile phones:

I-nigma – QR code reader. Just click this link in your mobile and site will automatically identify the type of your mobile phone and will offer to download the program for reading and barcore decoding. Exists for different mobile platforms.

Barcodes Scanner – it's a popular application for barcode, which exists in the variation for Android and IOS.

Kaywa Reader – just go to this site from your modile phone (by the way, you can throw the link to a cell phone by one of the above QR plugin for your browser.)

QuickMark – suitable for almost any phone

BeeTagg – another universal software for scanning and QR-code recognition, suitable for a large number of mobile phone models

UpCode – again multi-platform scanner and decoder

Neo Reader – QR reader, barcode scanner etc.