QR code advertising allows marketers to insert codes in strategic places for smartphone users to scan and access websites. However, success is hindered by misapplication and the assumption that everyone is aware of the technology. Codes can be found on various mediums, but placement and lack of explanation can be problematic.
QR (Quick Response) code advertising refers to a type of technology that allows marketers and manufacturers to insert a code in strategic places where it can be reached by those with a smartphone or some sort of reader that is specifically designed to decode QR codes. This type of technology requires stakeholders to get close to the codes, which are usually positioned where the target demographic can access them to use the appropriate devices to scan the barcodes or take a snapshot. As a marketing strategy, adopting QR code advertising offers some benefits in an increasingly tech-savvy age where everything seems to be moving forward at a rapid pace. On the other hand, the success of QR code advertising is also hampered by a number of factors which include the misapplication of this advertising process and the mistaken assumption by marketers that the majority of the population is even aware that there is even this kind of technology.
QR code advertising can be found in a wide variety of places and is not limited to just one form of advertising medium. Thus, QR codes can be found on books, wine bottle labels, clothing tags, billboards, and even on moving vehicle advertisements. The code in this type of advertising is usually formatted so that when scanned with the appropriate device, it will redirect the device to scan it to a website owned by the advertiser. For example, if a consumer scans the QR code on a bottle of wine using their smartphone, the person will most likely be directed to a website owned by the wine producer, which would contain additional information that the wine producer would like to share with the consumer.
The main problem with QR code advertising is the assumption by such manufacturers that the majority of members of the population own a smartphone or know what QR code advertising is all about. Advertisements usually display the codes without further explanation as to their meaning or what the public can do to access them, resulting in many people having no idea what the codes mean and being unable to log in. Advertisers can also make the mistake of placing codes in areas that are simply impossible for consumers to reach, such as on buses that are constantly on the move.
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