As a firm that has done some leading edge work around QR codes and Microsoft Tag, Nayamode has some perspective on what works and what doesn’t. A recent article on emarketer.com suggests that reality hasn’t quite kept pace with the promise from QR codes. Marketers are using it widely, possibly indiscriminately, causing potential fatigue and disinterest amongst consumers.

So what’s next for QR?

At Nayamode we believe that QR still has a strong future but will need some evolution in the hands of agencies and marketers before its potential is fully realized. One problem with the way QR is being used today is that marketers are using it to tell consumers what the marketer wants them to know. Not necessarily what the consumer wants to read or hear.

A not so subtle difference and one that you’d imagine seasoned marketers would have wised up to by now. But apparently not, based on the current research.

Ultimately, what QR really affords is the ability to engage with your mobile audience:

• In the moment
• With the right context of time, place and what’s happening around you
• With location sensitivity
• And with ease of use

Some of the scenarios that will lend themselves best to using QR codes include:

• Gamification – of different kinds. From mobile sweeps, scavenger hunts, contextual quizzes or trivia games and so on
• Offers – your prospect is at the location and time where you think a compelling offer will tip them over to open their wallet, a great time to use a QR code to trigger that. Use couponing or similar here for maximum effect
• Lead generation – make it interesting enough for them to share information with you so you can follow up with more structured and targeted messages. This can be especially powerful in B2B scenarios where a sale won’t necessarily happen in the mobile contextGo back to one of the basic tenets of good marketing – make it relevant, interesting and compelling and you can use QR code driven campaigns to significantly enhance your marketing efforts to an audience that is increasingly mobile. Despite the ubiquity, there is an opportunity to stand out in an ever more crowded space.