The QR code, once left for dead, has become a superhighway for tech-savvy brands to quickly connect with target audiences.
A QR code is a two-dimensional matrix barcode that eliminates the need to type website URLs into the browser search bar. Instead, smartphone users simply take a photo of the code, click a button and they’re immediately directed to a webpage.
Priority Marketing’s Digital Marketing Team creates custom QR codes for clients for a multitude of uses. Versatility is one of the QR code’s biggest assets. Brands can use them on:
- Print advertisements
- TV commercials
- Social media posts
- Billboards
- Programs
- Posters
From the archive: The FAQ Friday video below clearly explains the value of QR codes.
History of the QR code
A Japanese automotive company, Denso Wave, is credited as the first business to adopt a QR code system in 1994. According to Microsoft, traditional bar codes were slowing production lines. A strategic-thinker at Denso Wave “realized a grid system could hold much more information in a single code and could also be read from multiple directions, angles and distances – thus speeding up production times.”
The “QR” in QR code stands for Quick Response.
Initially, QR codes had limited use because businesses needed to purchase scanners to read them. Then, development of the smartphone during the 2000s meant anyone could have a handheld reader in their pocket. However, many businesses failed to recognize the potential of QR codes. In fact, a 2012 headline in Forbes asked, “Are QR codes dead?”
It wasn’t until 2020 that we had a definitive answer: a resounding NO! The global pandemic championed touch-free innovations, and QR codes were the solution. “You could dine at restaurants and bars without touching a menu that’s been touched by other people, reducing the spread of germs,” Microsoft noted. “You could pay for items without touching cash or pushing buttons on a card reader.”
Today’s uses for a QR code
Recently, new research suggests nearly 85% of people have scanned a QR code during their lifetime, indicating widespread acceptance. Brands are finding new ways to capitalize on the technology that’s now so familiar to smartphone users.
QR codes make marketing messages quickly and easily accessible via a smartphone. A key benefit is they occupy minimal space when displayed on ads, signage, publications and packaging. Businesses see these barcodes as valuable opportunities to direct consumers to a landing page, video, form, app store download or e-commerce shopping cart.
Around the world, many multinational corporations routinely use QR codes for e-commerce, social media promotions, step-by-step instructional videos and so much more.
Brands now have access to more design options when creating QR codes. In addition to the traditional black-and-white look, organizations can incorporate additional colors and shapes. A skilled designer can help create unique, creative QR codes that apply a company’s branding and colors, helping it stand out from the crowd.
Local Examples
Below are several examples of QR codes designed by Priority Marketing for clients across multiple industries:
Norman Love Confections
Use: Product awareness, online ordering
The School District of Lee County
Use: Employee recruitment fair
Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach
Use: Exclusive discounts for Jimmy Buffet Day
Compass Hotel by Margaritaville Naples
Use: Restaurant menu
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Naples
Use: Movie ticket sales
Future of the QR code
The use of QR codes is not declining. In fact, marketing experts predict they’re here to stay. How does your business or organization plan to capitalize on QR codes?
Please give us a call today at 239-267-2638 or send an email to LetsTalk@PriorityMarketing.com.
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