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A lot has been said about QR codes and the role they can play in mobile advertising. QR codes make it easier to store a lot of information which can be decoded at a high speed, publishers can reach mobile users effectively by placing QR codes in their print ads, the demand for QR codes in advertising will increase thanks to the surge in high end phone sales, and so on and so forth. In fact, Microsoft has even developed its own 2D barcode technology called Microsoft Tag. Yet, there is a big question that needs to be answered.
Why are QR codes not as popular in the U.S. as they are in Japan and in other parts of Asia?
The concept of using quick response codes in mobile advertising is very popular in Japan. It is so popular that a large number of mobile phones in Japan come preloaded with the application required to scan 2D barcodes. Some of you might remember that I have blogged about QR codes and their role in mobile advertising often on this blog. You can check it out here, here, and here.
Still, when it comes to the U.S., these codes are not nearly as popular as they are in Japan. The reason, according to me, is that business owners and advertisers in the U.S. have yet to realize the enormous potential of the combination of quick response codes and mobile advertising.
Think about it – a restaurant owner can place a quick response code in a print ad and ask the customers to scan the barcode to get that day’s menu or a discount coupon. It is not just limited to restaurant or fast food owners. Movie studios can benefit from it, retailers can benefit from it, small business owners can benefit from it – the possibilities are endless.
I have always said that mobile advertising has a bright future. Even going by the most pessimistic predictions, it can be certainly said that mobile phone advertising will be one of the most sought after advertising media in about a decade from now. If that happens, QR codes will certainly become hugely popular. As the number of high end phone users steadily increases in the U.S., advertisers will certainly look for new, innovative ways to reach the end user. When they do so, they just cannot afford to overlook QR codes.
Already, we have seen glimpses of the potential of the combination of quick response codes and mobile phones. Continental has tried it, AT&T has tried it, and Green Day has tried it. Whether the response met their expectations or not is always debatable. But one thing is for sure – QR codes are here to stay. The sooner it becomes popular, the better it will be for everyone – businesses, advertisers, and the end user.
Tags: 2d barcode, 2d barcodes, AT&T, barcode technology, Continental, Green Day, high end phone, mobile phone advertising, mobile advertising, mobile phone, mobile phones, mobile users, print ads, qr codes, quick response code, small business owners
Technorati Tags: 2d barcode, 2d barcodes, AT&T, barcode technology, Continental, Green Day, high end phone, mobile phone advertising, mobile advertising, mobile phone, mobile phones, mobile users, print ads, qr codes, quick response code, small business owners
Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, All things mobile phones, Mobile Web.
Using 2D barcodes in mobile marketing is something that we are aware of. However, when Microsoft decides to do it, it definitely deserves a special mention. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it will introduce a new barcode technology which will bring the print medium, internet medium, and the mobile phone together successfully.
At CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2009, Microsoft released the beta version of what they call Microsoft Tag – a barcode technology which can help to store data in the form of graphical bitmaps.
Microsoft Tag differs from QR codes or any other type of 2D barcode available today because of an important reason – It is based on a brand new technology called HCCB (High Capacity Color Barcodes) which uses triangle shaped color pixels to store data instead of the usual black and white square pixels. Moreover, these tags do not store any information. Instead, they store a unique ID which is used to retrieve information from Microsoft servers. So, it is now possible to store a lot more information than what can be usually stored in conventional 2D barcodes.
Here is how it works.
Microsoft Tag contains HCCB data which is nothing but a unique ID for the information stored in a Microsoft server. When the tag is read, the HCCB data is sent to the server and the publisher’s URL is returned to the mobile phone and the user is able to open the appropriate website in his mobile browser. All this takes place in a span of few seconds.
What you need
What you need is an internet enabled smart phone with a camera, a reasonably good data plan, Microsoft Tag application, and a Microsoft Tag account. This application works on phones which run on Symbian, Blackberry, Android, J2ME-MMP, Palm, Java 2 Micro Edition, iPhone, and any Windows OS.
You can open an account on Microsoft Tag webpage in a matter of few seconds and download the application on to your mobile phone for free.
How you use it?
When you see a print ad with a Microsoft Tag, all you need to do is activate the tag application on your mobile phone and take a picture of the barcode using your mobile phone camera. Immediately, you will be able to see the publisher’s website, which contains information about the product or service mentioned in the ad, on your mobile browser.
Why is it good for businesses?
It is a very simple yet effective way to reach the end user. It makes advertising a lot easier. When people find a product or service mentioned in a print ad appealing, they usually try to get more information about it. If the business owner can give them the information they want immediately, the chances of a sale increase significantly. This is now possible with Microsoft Tag. It is reliable, easy to use, and, most importantly, free. So, a lot people, small business owners in particular, can benefit immensely from this technology. I think this technology will make a big impact in the near future and will increase the scope of mobile marketing tremendously. Let us wait and see if I am proven right or not.
PS - You can read more about 2D barcodes and their role in mobile marketing here,here, and here.
Tags: 2d barcodes, Android, barcode technology, bitmaps, consumer electronics show, internet medium, iPhone, j2me, Java, java 2 micro edition, microsoft tag, microsoft server, microsoft servers, mobile browser, mobile marketing, palm, QR codes, smart phone, tag application, windows os
Technorati Tags: 2d barcodes, Android, barcode technology, bitmaps, consumer electronics show, internet medium, iPhone, j2me, Java, java 2 micro edition, microsoft tag, microsoft server, microsoft servers, mobile browser, mobile marketing, palm, QR codes, smart phone, tag application, windows os
Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, All things mobile phones, Microsoft, Mobile Web.
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