From the college party flyer to the world of brands and organizations
By: Valerie Tonn
Brief History
Invented in 1994 by Denso Wave, the QR code has been around for almost 30 years. Starting in use for car factories, QR codes helped track auto parts. Now they have found a way into the marketing industry.
Dropping in use before the COVID-19 Pandemic, there was belief that the QR code was going to lose its prevalence in use. However, evidence shows that after the pandemic, in 2021 that roughly 15% more people were scanning QR codes. In 2025 it’s expected that 99.5 million people will be using QR codes. Therefore, it’s important for companies to look towards using QR codes by identifying their current use in society now, best practices, how to successfully integrate them and analyze QR code insights.
Current Times
As a public relations professional, it is my job to identify current trends and analyze how they can be beneficial for companies to implement into their businesses. Today, QR codes are making a comeback and have been determined to be an emerging trend in 2023. Now you might be wondering, doesn’t the QR code already exist? Yes, but the QR code is growing in its use. Nowadays, it's now the perfect addition to the public relations/marketing industry.
Best Practices
When making a QR code, it can be difficult to make them stand out as a marketing tactic. Keeping in mind a couple of tactics can help a company stand apart. This is especially important when looking at trends and using QR codes beyond just for the connivence.
Businesses should look towards making sure their QR codes have a call-to-action and purpose. These two tactics will help make the QR code be more intentional and customer experience driven. As well, companies should look to incorporate their QR codes are used within a design and are tracked to see their success in using them.
The use of the company logos or profile pictures is one way to integrate a more creative approach to QR codes. This has been seen with many money transfer applications like Cash App and Venmo. However, games are now finding a way to also implement the use of QR codes. Splatoon 3 recently added a QR code on their Twitter account that players can scan to receive a free banner within the game. The QR code features the Splatoon company’s logo and players will scan the QR code using their devices through the SplatNet 3 app accessible on the Nintendo Switch online app.
Ways to Integrate
When looking for more of a specific approach towards how companies can integrate QR codes, businesses should strategize a plan. It’s important to again look beyond convenience, but at how beneficial QR codes can be for a company. Sitting down with a creative team can always promote ideas on how QR codes can be implemented. Some ideas include using QR codes for presentations to be more interactive, help with payments, linking apps and communicating how your brand authentically works and its sustainability efforts are ways one can tie in QR codes seamlessly.
One example of a company currently enacting QR codes to show their diversity equity and inclusion efforts is Lush. The company collaborated with the United Kingdom’s charity, GALOP that promotes anti-violence towards the LGBTQ+. Over Valentine’s Day 2023, Lush stores in the UK encouraged people to scan QR codes that would send messages to members of parliament in efforts to pass legislation that banned conversion therapy.
Insights
QR codes give businesses insight to those who scan their codes. This information can primarily be used for advertising efforts for those specific customers going forward after scanning. Taking extra steps can help a company ensure they are seeing the maximum benefits. Tracking how often the QR codes are being scanned, which QR codes are frequently scanned, assessing what happens for the customer after a QR code is scanned and using this information to understand your customer’s decisions is important to ensure businesses are meeting their customer’s needs.
The 2023 Super Bowl featured many advertisements across TV networks, including the company, Planters. Planters’ advertisement featured a roast of its brand character Mr. Peanut and a QR code to encouraged viewers to watch the full-length of the video beyond the advertisement’s length. To gain insights on how effective the QR code was in encouraging viewers to watch the rest of the video, Planters worked with Flowcode. Flowcode was able to find out that 70% of people who scanned the QR code took some action once arriving onto the landing page.
About the Author
Valerie Tonn is an aspiring public relations professional in Denton, Texas. She is attaining her bachelor’s degree in journalism with a concentration in public relations and minoring in marketing. Tonn intends to graduate Dec. 2023.
References:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2022/09/21/marketing-with-qr-codes/?sh=6a75806773bf
Emerging trends are important for businesses to stay on top of when looking towards captivating their audiences. As a public relations professional, it is my job to learn about these trends and analyze how they can be beneficial. This is especially important when looking for implementation strategies for these trends.
One trend that has found its way into 2023 is the QR code. Now you might be wondering, doesn’t the QR code already exist? Yes, but the QR code is growing in its use and its now the perfect addition to the public relations/marketing industry.
Brief History
Invented in 1994 by Denso Wave, the QR code has been around for almost 30 years. Starting in use for car factories, QR Codes helped track auto parts. Now they have found a way into the marketing industry.
Dropping in use before the COVID-19 Pandemic, there was belief that the QR code was going to lose its prevalence in use. However, evidence shows that after the pandemic, in 2021 that roughly 15% more people were scanning QR codes. In 2025 it’s expected that 99.5 million people will be using QR codes.
Best Practices
When making a QR code, it can be confusing to make them stand out as a marketing tactic. Keeping in mind a couple of tactics can help a company stand apart. This is especially important when looking at trends and using QR codes beyond just for the connivence.
Businesses should look towards making sure their QR codes have a call-to-action and purpose. These two tactics will help make the QR code be more intentional and customer experience driven. As well, companies should look to incorporate their QR codes are used within a design and are tracked to see their success in using them.
Ways to Integrate
When looking for more of a specific approach towards how companies can integrate QR codes, businesses should strategize a plan. It’s important to again look beyond connivence, but at how beneficial QR codes can be for a company. Sitting down with a creative team can always promote ideas on how QR codes can be implemented. Some ideas include using QR codes for presentations to be more interactive, help with payments, linking apps and communicating how your brand authentically works and its sustainability efforts are ways one can tie in QR codes seamlessly.
One example of a company currently enacting QR codes to show their diversity equity and inclusion efforts is Lush. The company collaborated with the United Kingdom’s charity, GALOP that promotes anti-violence towards the LGBTQ+. Over Valentine’s Day 2023, Lush stores in the UK encouraged people to scan QR codes that would send messages to members of parliament in efforts to pass legislation that banned conversion therapy.
Insights
QR codes give businesses insight to those who scan their codes. This information can primarily be used for advertising efforts for those specific customers going forward after scanning. Taking extra steps can help a company ensure they are seeing the maximum benefits. Tracking how often the QR codes are being scanned, which QR codes are frequently scanned, assessing what happens for the customer after a QR code is scanned and using this information to understand your customer’s decisions is important to ensure businesses are meeting their customer’s needs.
The 2023 Superbowl featured many advertisements across TV networks, including the company, Planters. Planters’ advertisement featured a roast of its brand character Mr. Peanut and a QR code to encouraged viewers to watch the full-length of the video beyond the advertisement’s length. To gain insights on how effective the QR code was in encouraging viewers to watch the rest of the video, Planters worked with Flowcode. Flowcode was able to find out that 70% of people who scanned the QR code took some action once arriving onto the landing page.
About the Author
Valerie Tonn is an aspiring public relations professional in Denton, Texas. She is attaining her bachelor’s degree in journalism with a concentration in public relations and minoring in marketing. Tonn intends to graduate Dec. 2023.
References:
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