Study Shows Rapid Evolution of QR Marketing

Researchers scanned every QR Code, Microsoft Tag, BEE Tag, JagTag, and the like in the top 100 magazines last year.

cohen-qr-code

Rapid adoption of QR codes and other action codes is only part of the story in a new study. More important is the way that marketers are learning to use them more effectively.

Nellymoser, Inc. released a study of all 2011 issues of the top 100 U.S. magazines. It found that advertising drove the 439 percent increase in action codes from January through December. In January, there were seven advertising codes for each editorial code. By September, the ratio was nearly 25:1.

“In the beginning of the year, it was really very much an experiment,” says Roger Matus, Nellymoser executive vice president. “It seemed like somebody in the company had said, ‘Hey, we oughtta do mobile, and I heard about this thing. Let’s stick it on there.'”

Researchers scanned every QR Code, Microsoft Tag, Spyderlynk SnapTag, BEE Tag, JagTag, Digimarc watermark and other codes with an iPhone or Android device, activating every campaign, running every video and visiting every web page. QR codes accounted for 61 percent of all codes in the first quarter, growing to 72 percent in the fourth quarter. Microsoft Tags lost share, falling from 39 percent of all codes in Q1 to 25 percent in Q4. All other tags accounted for only 1 percent each in the last quarter.

Nellymoser is a mobile marketing and technology company that works mostly with publishers and ad agencies, handling the backend of scan marketing – from user experience and business logic to hosting and analytics.

By Q4, more than two-thirds of all action codes (1327 or 70 percent) were accompanied by information that described what happens after the scan, which is considered a best practice. On the other hand, there was a move away from embellishments such as customized codes or icons showing a phone to give people the idea.

Another evolution, Matus says, was the disappearance of SMS alternatives to scanning. “At the beginning of the year, people were worried there weren’t enough smartphones, so they would have also a texting option. Now only 3 percent have that,” he notes.

By the end of the year, Matus says, a clear picture of best practices and campaign goals emerged. Most were used for four purposes:

  • Branding and demonstrations
  • Data capture and list building
  • Commerce, including online, store locators and coupons
  • Sharing on social media

Illustrating the growing importance of mobile media, by the end of 2011, action codes rarely led to desktop websites.

From an advertiser’s point of view, a code “allows the person to act at the moment of their interest,” Matus says. “Typing a URL on your phone is a pain but remembering to go do it at your PC later on isn’t likely to happen. Mobile delivers instantly on the call to action.”

Subscribe to get your daily business insights

Whitepapers

US Mobile Streaming Behavior
Whitepaper | Mobile

US Mobile Streaming Behavior

5y

US Mobile Streaming Behavior

Streaming has become a staple of US media-viewing habits. Streaming video, however, still comes with a variety of pesky frustrations that viewers are ...

View resource
Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics for Media Groups
Whitepaper | Analyzing Customer Data

Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics for Media Groups

5y

Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics f...

Data is the lifeblood of so many companies today. You need more of it, all of which at higher quality, and all the meanwhile being compliant with data...

View resource
Learning to win the talent war: how digital marketing can develop its people
Whitepaper | Digital Marketing

Learning to win the talent war: how digital marketing can develop its peopl...

2y

Learning to win the talent war: how digital market...

This report documents the findings of a Fireside chat held by ClickZ in the first quarter of 2022. It provides expert insight on how companies can ret...

View resource
Engagement To Empowerment - Winning in Today's Experience Economy
Report | Digital Transformation

Engagement To Empowerment - Winning in Today's Experience Economy

1m

Engagement To Empowerment - Winning in Today's Exp...

Customers decide fast, influenced by only 2.5 touchpoints – globally! Make sure your brand shines in those critical moments. Read More...

View resource