Sex & Tags & QR codes

Rating: Our roundup of ‘recent’ QR campaigns

When GoMo News spotted an article headed ’8 recent examples of using QR Codes for marketing and/or brand awareness’ on Socialwayne.com here, naturally, it grabbed our attention. However, on closer inspection it soon became obvious that plenty of these examples aren’t recent at all. In particular the one from the French clothing supplier, Denim Code. There are two things wrong with using Denim Code as an example: – firstly it isn’t recent, it was done back in 2007. And secondly, the 2D barcodes in question are not even QR codes, they are Metatags (See our mobile barcode 101.) So, we thought it time to give our own round-up of how 2D barcodes are being used. And to point out that the Denim Code example is always used because sex sells.The technology employed by Denim Code on the model’s jeans was using the ‘mobile tag’ based on a Datamatrix and developed by Mobile Tag (formerly part of Abaxia). See picture.

Mobile Tag is still going but its technology has been pushed to the side by the alternative QR code. GoMo News tried to read the mobile tag on the semi-naked lady’s jeans but the resolution wasn’t high enough.

According to an old report in M-trends here, the 2D barcodes enabled cameraphone users to watch video clips; listen to music; see films; watch programmes; and listen to the news.

But, of course, sex sells and so the naked lady has made several re-appearances such as in this slideshow here from the Italian firm, ATM Communication, which does at least mention L-codes as well as QR codes.

It also made an appearance in an article a year ago [2010] entitled ‘Recycled fashion embraces QR technology’ here. Again another irony since the woman’s jeans sport a mobile tag not a QR code.

So when a brand claims to be ‘Thinking outside the box’ when it integrates QR codes into its marketing materials just like Taco Bell recently did, GoMo News has to despair.

It would be bigger news if a brand as big as Taco Bell wasn’t using QR codes (see Bena’s report next). This is some tie up with the Music Video Awards, apparently.

Anyway, here are a few examples of QR codes which GoMo News recently came across itself. The first (and best) is taken from the Great British Beer Festival.

It was a competition run on a flyer from Alesbymail.com and on scanning the QR code you entered a competition. All you needed to do was enter a name and email address. Very mobile friendly.

The other two were on the same page of a London Metro magazine. The first code took you to Metro’s own home page but it failed to detect our Android browser.

The second was built into an advert for Spielberg’s latest movie – Super 8. The film trailer wasn’t particularly mobile friendly.

While we were sitting on a London Tube train reading Metro, GoMo News saw at least three adverts [served by London Transport] using QR codes. One from an ad aimed at students.

It had the title ‘Fancy1′ but sadly we had to exit the train before we could scan itin. Can any of our readers tell us what it was about? Any students read the code?