• by Sakina Walsh , February 13, 2012

You don’t have to tech-savvy to be at the center of mass QR-code exposure. The speckled squares of black-and-white can be spotted on cereal boxes, at the airport, and in your favorite magazine. But while marketers have been quick to adopt QR codes as their newest playthings, critics have been just as quick to point out their shortcomings.

With big questions about ROI already top-of-mind, Forrester Research’s 2011 announcement that only about 5% of U.S. mobile users have actually scanned a QR code left many questioning its reach. Limiting the audience further, comScore revealed data indicating this already small subset of adopters also skewed toward younger, more affluent males. 

All of this led to the well-publicized voice of naysayers claiming QR codes are over-hyped, too limited in their applicability, and poorly executed. It is true that 2011 saw its fair share of challenges with quick-response technology: some marketers placed the codes in locations that didn’t have mobile connectivity (such as Red Bull’s ads in New York subways); others, such as Continental Airlines, linked to sites that weren’t optimized for mobile devices (oops). Still others created QR codes containing broken links or shoddy placement, making them impossible to scan (big oops).  

What critics are missing, however, is this: QR codes must be seen as an emerging technology, not a mainstream marketing channel, replete with standard KPIs and ROI expectations. Businesses should view this opportunity much like the first companies to venture from brick-and-mortar selling to e-commerce: at first, the audience was limited, the technology was bumpy, and the best practices were unknown. But so were the possibilities. 

Leading QR innovators are not merely expanding their marketing mix -- they are essentially redefining the customer experience.  Best Buy has integrated the previously siloed worlds of e-commerce and in-store shopping by placing QR codes on their product tags, which allows customers instant access to detailed product information and buying options. Tesco, an international grocery chain, has erected billboards featuring images of its most popular products in high-traffic pedestrian locations in Korea. Customers simply scan the accompanying QR codes, and their selections are delivered right to their homes. These campaigns illustrate the nuanced control that QR code marketing brings to both marketers and consumers. 

For those still concerned about limited consumer adoption, it’s important to remember that every new technology has a starting point (I mean, who knew what a hashtag was years ago? #nowyourealoserifyoudont). With every forecast predicting aggressive mobile proliferation, forward-thinking advertisers are willing to make calculated investments with big money: this year, GoDaddy.com will be the first to feature a QR code in a Super Bowl ad.

In a sprinting digital world, there is every reason for businesses to push forward with QR code marketing -- to define its use, test its limits, and lead its innovation. But before seizing victory in the QR code domain, it is essential to consider these three critical points: 

• Personalization creates impact. While best practices are a wonderful checklist for execution and tactical issues, they cannot create a campaign strategy for you. Like social media, QR codes offer the opportunity to create highly personalized customer experiences while taking a departure from the more “salesy” marketing traditions. Last holiday season, J.C. Penney allowed shoppers to attach personalized QR-enabled voice recordings to gifts, while Heinz helped customers send messages to U.S. troops deployed overseas.  Begin your QR campaign planning by considering what issues will resonate most with your customers. 
• Know what you’re after. With such vast opportunity, it’s easy to get carried away or lose direction. Like any other channel, it is absolutely vital to start with a clear objective and definition of what results you hope to achieve (Hint: it might not be sales). Then develop your QR strategy in a way that allows you to track how you are doing against your objectives.
• Understand your customer. Customer focus is paramount to any campaign. Narrow your target audience through segmentation and create a customer profile with as much intelligence as possible. Understand how your customers use mobile devices. Then work backwards to create a campaign that will deliver an experience that is valuable enough to make them want to scan a QR code, even if they’ve never done it before (and that’s how you raise that 5% QR code usage stat). 

With these focus points in mind, you’re ready to design and own your brand’s QR experience. As Airtran likes to put it: “Go. There’s nothing stopping you.” 

Sakina Walsh is a marketing strategist with Quaero.