The Ebay Inspiration Shop QR codes

Ebay has done it! Teaming with designer Jonathan Adler, they have built a one of a kind store front in New York City that empowers mobile shoppers to buy products on their phones using QR codes. 

The "Inspiration" Shop is located on Park Avenue but doesn't allow visitors inside. The intention is to make products available to buy 24/7 from a shoppable store front using QR codes and mobile landing pages. The massive "always open" windows showcase new, must have merchandise for the Fall season. Of course the products are available instantly to simply purchase from your phone! Check out pics below. Enjoy!

Macy's Amps Up Backstage Pass QR Codes

Macy's has released new mobile content with qr codes. It looks like they are taking "Backstage Pass" to the next level. Macy's is augmenting the retail shopping experience with exclusive and useful mobile web content and QR Codes. Check out the video below and info about Macy's original QR code campaign.

Mobile Tagging Site Features and Examples From Tappinn

Mapping QR Code Scans on Tappinn is Pure Awesome

Tappinn is pumped to announce that maps have been officially added to the analytics! Each QR code scan on Tappinn is currently tracked by geo location and members can now view a cluster map of scans for each QR code and zoom to see engagement details and pages viewed. Pure awesome. Big shout out to Kevin Galbavi (CTO) and Schuyler Bos on this, Tappinn wizzards! 

See the full gallery on Posterous

Tappinn and Raymond Weil in Men's Health June 2011

Fuel Economy QR Codes On Every New Car

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) unveiled the most dramatic overhaul to fuel economy labels since they were introduced 35 years ago. When the new labels start to appear in showrooms and online, shoppers will have more information at their fingertips than ever before. Notice the QR Code integrated in the right corner of the label. These labels are mandatory on EVERY new car in the U.S.

The label redesign will provide the public with new information on vehicles’ fuel economy, energy use, fuel costs, and environmental impacts. For the first time, for instance, comparable fuel economy and environmental ratings will be available for all new vehicles, including advanced technology vehicles like electric cars. Consumers will be able to make comparisons – car by car – to ensure they have the best information to help save on fuel costs and reduce emissions. Glad to see QR Codes could take another step forward to becoming the international symbol of the mobile web.

Starbucks & Lady Gaga Team With QR Codes

 

Starbucks is helping Lady Gaga promote her new album by inviting customers to go on a 2-week digital scavenger hunt. "SRCH by Starbucks featuring Lady Gaga", as the initiative is called, will start with an in-store QR code scan on May 18th beginning at 10am PST. Gaga fans can scan QR codes on Starbucks banners and other materials to receive clues about the puzzle. They will then be instructed to decode messages from the SRCH blog and follow the hunt. Starbucks isn't new to using QR codes as they dabbled using them for mobile payments last year. Also, Starbucks has recently updated their myStarbucks app to scan QR codes for iPhone!! This looks like a pretty cool. Below is a short video and the QR Code. 

Raymond Weil Exploits New Trend in Print Advertising

(Press Release) New York, NY... Luxury Swiss watch maker RAYMOND WEIL, whose timepieces are internationally known for their independent design and high quality, is now embedding custom mobile tagging websites (TAPPINN Smart Sites) within the pages of their U.S. print advertising using TAPPINN QR codes. Each of the four collections, Parsifal, Noemia, Freelancer and Maestro, are tagged with a unique QR code that leads the smartphone user to exclusive mobile web media developed specifically to augment the ad collection artwork, user location and publication. The advertisements will run in publications such as Men's Health, Esquire, Wall St Journal and more.

When the QR code is scanned with a QR reader app using the camera on a web enabled smartphone, users are instantly delivered to a geo-aware mobile landing page promoting nearby retailers with HTML 5 mapping and highlights additional watch designs relevant to the particular advertisement. The RAYMOND WEIL Smart Site also features brand social links, videos, product pages, galleries, catalog requests and newsletter signup. 

 

QR codes are not new to the print advertising world, but the content being delivered through them is evolving.  The latest explosion of smartphone purchases in the U.S. ignited a flurry of brands using QR codes, but many were not delivering the experience consumers deserve, according to TAPPINN CMO Nick Ford.  "The marriage between the mobile web and print advertising is unlike any in the history of marketing. Mobile websites should be designed exclusively for tagging-targeted print advertising by delivering unique value and bridging the ad’s message off the pages and into the palms of potential customers”. The red square in the upper left hand corner of TAPPINN QR codes is a TAPPINN trademark that symbolizes their dedication to delivering rich, secure, targeted mobile web content. “This is a philosophy that sets us apart from competitors and the red square allows consumers to recognize a great experience before they scan a TAPPINN QR code. We are proud to have a brand like RAYMOND WEIL to represent that” says Ford.

TAPPINN is unlike any QR code management platform on the web. Brands, agencies, printers and publications can build, deliver and track 100’s of custom QR codes and exclusive mobile landing pages for all forms of print and visual advertising. Page building and detailed analytics are integrated within QR code creation technology, giving members a unique advantage. TAPPINN saves QR codes under specific pages, sites and campaigns for easy management and tracking. This offers a complete package of page building, QR code creation, management, analytics and reporting that can't be found anywhere else on the web.

The Swiss family-owned RAYMOND WEIL, founded in Geneva in 1976, enjoys a special position in the exclusive world of luxury watch making. Independence is the essential value of RAYMOND WEIL Genève’s state of mind. RAYMOND WEIL, both nationally and internationally, has created a strong presence in the arts, with a direct tie to music and opera through sponsorship and naming of their collections. RAYMOND WEIL timepieces are varied and determinedly modern, characterized by high quality and precious materials with an emphasis on aesthetics. RAYMOND WEIL prides itself in aestheticism, watch making know-how and creativity, the core values that consolidate the basis of the brand’s philosophy. 

For more exclusive info contact Nick Ford at 269-217-8650 

Beyond The QR Code Mobile Tagging

Video of me discussing what we need to do as a community to make QR codes and mobile tagging successful. BEYOND the QR CODE web content!

Tappinn Mobile Buttons For Mobile Tagging

Tappinn, The #1 QR Code Mobile Tagging Platform On The Web, has rolled out a new button gallery for subscribers. Previously, the platform had a limited selection of standard button styles for mobile page building (SmartSites). This addition gives users TON's of fun new design possibilities for BEYOND the CODE mobile tagging websites.

Mobile Tagging Torpedoes and QR Content Defined

QR content is a massive new category of web media tailored for mobile tagging. 

Tappinn defines QR Content as any web content specifically delivered by scanning QR (Quick Response) Codes or any other form of 2D/1D mobile tagging. QR connected content is consumed by mobile web users in a brand new fashion from a variety of unique contexts, most importantly from pre-existing traditional media, making it a relevant new category in marketing moving forward. The mobile web pages directly connected to a QR code scan experience can offer value and efficiency to the consumer that was unheard of just 5 years ago. QR content is transforming static media into engaging mobile web content.

The mobile Web is growing at an astonishing rate, and as telecommunications networks and mobile devices get faster, they offer ridiculous new opportunities for brands to engage with mobile consumers using QR codes as physical hyperlinks. By scanning a QR code with the camera of a Web-enabled smartphone, consumers willingly initiate a conversation with brands like never before and in places never previously imagined.

Like a keyword search on the desktop Internet, the act of a consumer scanning a QR code is a tacit indication of interest and an active request for some sort of brand engagement. On the desktop Internet, advertising, with its annoying banners and popups, is almost always viewed as invasive, but with mobile QR code scans brands can respond to a consumer request with exclusive and unobtrusive Web content delivered instantly.

This massive concept has ignited a wave of mainstream advertising campaigns driven around brands propelling mobile users to action with QR codes. And it’s only the beginning.

To be effective with this new approach, however, marketers must carefully think through every step of their QR code strategy, from code design and placement, delivering a worthwhile user experience and measuring response. It's not enough to just print a code and see what happens. Among the questions to consider are: where will this interaction occur and what sort of value should the brand deliver? The Web content and user experience (UX) should augment the tagged advertisement and the consumer engagement on a mobile site should be tracked across media boundaries.

Examples of trackable interactions from QR code content include: signups, v-card download, shopping, app download, social followers, music/video downloads, comments and ratings. These interactions, with the individual precision of a torpedo, are different from previous Web engagements, which was more like throwing mud against a wall. They happen in the physical world between a publisher or brand and an individual consumer with a smartphone. 

Tappinn presents 12 QR connected mobile tagging torpedoes. Fast hitting QR connected value fired into the mobile galaxy. In no particular order and meant to be teamed for more power.

Shopping: product galleries and product pages related to the printed advertisement. Not as much a hard sell but more about browsing and sharing with easy links to find where to buy related products.

Signup: Contests and sweepstakes. Enticing mobile users to sign up for a chance to win. Mobile signups offer an opportunity to capture information about users. Events and store promotions can encourage signups where never before possible.

Conversation: Tips, voting and ratings. The allure of what other people are saying can be a primary driver to scan a QR code. Also, people love to share thoughts on an open forum. Voicing approval is important to people. Encourage sharing over social media like Facebook and Twitter.

Video: By far the most useful in early phases of mobile tagging. Consider the viewing environment and content first, and fire other torpedoes to augment. Exclusive and relevant wins. Direct video downloads to smart phones are in line to take over. (Keep file sizes and download times to a minimum, however.)

Contact info: vCard. Download personal contact information directly to the phone’s address book. Eliminate typing information into a phone by downloading immediately. Offer a landing page with other links. Don’t let the full intention of the code be a vCard, however. (Test to determine how well various devices populate data.)

Social: Scan to “like” and “follow” us. Pages should be easy to share. Print advertising has an untapped viral comment component when incorporating the mobile Web if the content can be easily shared. On the other hand, collecting followers by directing them to social profiles is also popular and is encouraged. Print with QR codes has an “social” identity.

App downloads. Brands that have invested in an app can use mobile tagging to send downloads. Link the code directly to the app store or a landing page with easy links to download.

Coupons. Display phone screen at checkout. Interjecting coupons via QR codes at the point of purchase has been the most popular practice so far. Exchanging e-mails for coupons should be the target. Apps that scan QR code are also starting to reward consumers with coupons for scanning. Double dip value. Need more apps to encourage QR scanning by offering their own incentive for active usage.

Audio. Sample, buy, download. Taylor Swift, Soulja Boy, P.Diddy and Lupe Fiasco have all used QR codes to let users to sample tracks from their mobile phones. Lots of room for new collaboration between music artists and fashion brands at the point of purchase. Mobile music downloads from traditional print media and products have yet to be exploited.

Commerce. “Scan to buy” music. Unique buying pages for users who scan codes exclusively with discounted pricing. Convenience is the ultimate driver of mobile commerce in the future .

How-to information. Intended to instruct. Mostly used for product guides and user manuals. Video guides can be utilized as well (such as with assembly instructions on boxes from Ikea). Also, QR codes can be used on warranty cards that house info on the mobile Web.

Find us. Google mapping. Brands use this as “find a retailer,” but small businesses can also use this and link to Google maps. This offers users instant directions to find locations where they can make a purchase. Google maps is an awesome tool to incorporate into QR-connected pages.

The mobile tagging landscape is a wild terrain with unlimited possibilities for brands to offer unique value to smartphone users with QR codes. They must first build and deliver custom mobile websites and landing pages that make sense in their market and that helps shoppers complete a product search with a purchase. If it's a magazine ad, build a landing page that considers the readers of that particular magazine and offers exclusives and rewards to only that particular group of readers. Not only mobile, content and offerings are structured around location and medium. Quick transactions can occur in the mobile jungle with the consumer in command. They asked for it, now its time to hit 'em with some mobile tagging torpedoes of QR content!

To be published in the next IPA Bulletin by IDEAlliance. The Bulletin magazine is the voice of IDEAlliance, keeping its members abreast of business challenges and opportunities, assuring workflows are state-of-the-art, speeding information across the end-to-end digital media supply chain — from content creation through delivery, both digitally and in print.   

Scan To Win a Tissot Swiss Watch in New York City

Tissot Swiss Watches has launched a "Scan To Win" QR code campaign with their retail partner Diamonds and Dials in New York City, powered by TAPPINN. The store is located at the crowded intersection of 34th st. and Broadway in Herald Square across the street from Macy's. The QR code is located on a 3ft X 7Ft sign outside of the store and resolves to a mobile landing page entry form where people can enter their name, email and state to win a Tissot PRS 330. In the history of retail signage, I would argue that there hasn't been a more interactive sign. Tissot isn't new to awesome QR code campaigns. Click here for more.

Lupe Fiasco QR Code With Video by Red Laser

Lupe Fiasco is using QR Codes to promote sales of his new album on the mobile web. This was posted on his official site. The landing page could have used some sample audio clips IMO but another great QR code m-commerce example from the music industry in 2011. The VIDEO by Red Laser is AMAZING!!

QR Codes Meet Digital Printing at PODi AppForum 2011

I will be speaking with Sharon Buntain, president of Tissot Watches U.S., at PODi AppForum 2011 at The Mirage in Las Vegas Jan 31 - Feb 2nd. Also on the guest list are Hamilton Chan from Paperlinks and Val DiGiacinto of The Ace Group... That sounds like a pretty solid crew to share experiences and insights involving QR codes and digital printing. Scan the HOT QR code above to see the Tappinn mobile site we made for the event! Follow on Twitter #AppForum11. VEGAS baby!

TIME Magazine QR Codes on Billboards

Pictures of a TIME Magazine QR Code billboard advertisement on 51st and Broadway near Times Square in New York City. These designer QR Codes, created by SET Japan, have been popping up within the pages of TIME magazine for months, linking readers to additional (non-mobile) web content. While I'm definitely a fan of seeing TIME Magazine use QR codes, the same cannot be said about my impression of the overall effort. While these QR codes may look "cool", the content connected to them in underwhelming from a mobile context. Also, most SET codes are NOT friendly to majority of popular QR code readers, most notable, ScanLife. So in essence, you have an enormous billboard in New York City featuring a 'designer QR code' that can't be read by a majority of readers, and links to a generic non-mobile website. Meh.

 

The Grammy Goes To... QR Codes!

The Grammys are using QR Codes to promote the 53rd annual music awards event on CBS. I have to say that I am really impressed with this QR code advertising campaign! Last week I posted, Music Needs QR Codes, but didn't have a great example. THIS is a great example!! Scanners can sample tagged music by participants and read user comments. Check out the video and pics below and the campaign site, Music is Life is Music. Enjoy!

QR Codes In Advertising

Originally posted on QR Codes In Advertising
http://QRcodes-in-advertising.blogspot.com

QR Codes in Advertising (Mobile Tagging)

QR codes have stormed traditional advertising and it will never look the same, literally. Innovation surged this year in mobile marketing with huge breakthroughs coming in the QR code advertising sector. To put it mildly, QR codes are blowin' up! The opportunities to augment and track ‘old’ traditional print media with QR codes and deliver targeted mobile web content to smartphone users are ‘game changing’ for today’s professional advertiser. Successful QR code advertising campaigns go beyond the QR code and offer a unique mobile web experience tailored to the advertisement and media outlet. The early days of generating a QR code for a generic website and slapping it on your advertisement are over. Advertisers must now focus on strategy, design and context to get optimum results and deliver the value that will keep consumers scanning. Whether it’s for mobile shopping, commerce, mapping, apps, mobile vCards, signups, music downloads, social, coupons or rewards, consumers are finding new reasons everyday to scan QR codes on advertisements with their mobile smartphones. Team this with the analytic software available that most QR code management platforms offer and you have a powerful new dynamic evolving in the advertising world.

Today’s 5 fundamentals of using QR codes in Advertising 

(1) This is MOBILE, dude. The #1 mistake made by QR code advertisers is using generic desktop web pages as their ‘QR-connected’ landing page.Web content that’s tagged for a QR code must be mobile and properly formatted for ALL smartphone web browsers (Android, Apple, Blackberry, Windows, ect). Speed is everything so make sure to design content that can be displayed on a mobile device quickly after the scan. Remember, this is a completely different animal than desktop web design and fresh perspectives must be considered. Large buttons and easy "touch" navigation are critical to prompting action on the phone. Easy "contact" function can win with convenience alone. Keep the call, email, map and V-card buttons close by! QR codes are by for the best way to prompt users to action in the physical world. Anybody who says that QR Codes are ugly is right, it's this 'ugliness' that makes them eye catching, recognizable and engaging to mobile consumers!

(2) Mainstream QR code adoption in advertising is a numbers game, smartphone numbers. There has been an ongoing debate between tech nerds on Twitter about whether QR code usage will hit mainstream status in the U.S. To bet against this is like betting against smartphone growth altogether.  The consumer demand for web-enabled smartphones is ridiculous right now with Android boasting over 300,000 activations daily! These phones are all capable of scanning QR codes quickly and surfing promotional mobile advertising for coupons and rewards within seconds. The number of NEW mobile web users will increase by over 100 MILLION devices in 2011 and advertisers who have been using QR codes as early as 2008 have seen scans increase by 400% over the past two years. The future is bright for smartphones AND QR codes.

(3) If mobile CONTENT is king, CONTEXT is GOD.

The Yankee Group has coined this as the ‘anywhere’ era of web content because today’s content can be consumed anywhere from a web-enabled mobile device. We already live in an on-demand digital culture where one-way advertising is mostly ignored but authentic, exclusive CONTENT is craved and searched for. QR codes offer advertisers the fastest and most recognizable outlet to deliver ‘context aware’ mobile content to the real world in an on-demand nature. The mobile advertising environment is a wild terrain with unlimited possibilities for marketers to deliver unique value to smartphone users. Advertisers must build and deliver custom mobile websites and landing pages that make sense to their market and helps shoppers complete buying decisions. If it's a magazine ad, build a landing page considering the readers of THAT magazine and offer exclusives and rewards to only that particular group of readers. A QR code that leads directly to video on the same ad in multiple publications isn't very powerful but a custom landing page where users can scroll from a catalog of mobile media is much more effective. QR codes that lead users straight to video are mostly ineffective and overused in general
  
(4) Stick with QR codes. Don’t be fooled by imposter (Proprietary) 2-D Codes. The 2-D barcode advertising world is complex due the closed, indirect proprietary codes on the market. This has contributed to the early adoption problems that have faced the technology often confusing the end user. The QR code is the only open format (direct) code that anybody can generate for free. The data stored in the QR code is a universal (direct) link as opposed to data stored in proprietary codes which only makes sense to the particular app that’s decoding. Make sense? Not only that, there are over 100 different apps that read QR codes due to their openness as opposed to the closed proprietary market where codes can only be read with app specific to the code (ex. The only app that reads Microsoft Tag is Microsoft Tag). This is why I believe that the QR code makes the most sense for advertisers in the long run. App creators are starting to think differently about what apps to build QR code reading function into. Now, large retailers like Best Buy and social networks are building QR code scanning function into their apps. We’ve seen this movie before and OPEN wins.

(5) Use a QR code management platform. Generate QR codes and view analytic data from a QR code management platform. This is the best way to run efficient and influential QR code advertising campaigns. A typical QR code advertising campaign will utilize 100’s of unique QR codes to optimize analytic results. The advantage to this is having a complete platform making it simple to build, organize, deploy and track 100's of custom mobile landing pages and QR codes all under one platform. Advertising campaigns are robust in nature and mobile content needs to be targeted at publications, retailers, T.V. and the web with a variety of intentions in mind. There are several platforms on the web dedicated to QR code advertising management but I have only found one that combines page building, code management and tracking all in one solution.

The Tappinn QR code advertising solution.

Mobile site and 'QR-connected' landing page building on Tappinn

-Upload images on pages and link them anywhere on the web

-Create links that will prompt the phone to call or email a specific contact

-Build mobile user submission forms (email, name, age, address, ect.) within pages to collect user info (enter to win or signup)

-Create links to social profiles and blogs

-Virtual address cards (vCards) that can be downloaded directly your phone with one touch

-Customize button and background colors for a unique combination

-Tappinn pages automatically include share links to FB, Twitter, email and "like" button

-Pages can be turned into QR codes to share  

-Update and change page content in real time  

-Alias URL's for targeted branding

QR Code management and tracking platform on Tappinn

-Name and categorize QR codes for every application

-QR codes are stored on the platform under the pages that they generated for.

-Easily generate QR codes use them immediately in your advertising.

-Unlimited QR code generation and scans are allowed for no additional cost

-View top hit codes and pages, recent scans and pages landed on from the dashboard

-Track everything (page views, landing code, scans, geo locations, devices) and run CSV reports instantly

The question to use QR codes in your advertising has been answered. Now it becomes a matter of HOW. Remember, think BEYOND the CODE.

Nick Ford is Captain of The QR Code Galaxy

Below is my interview with French blogger Vandy Khamsay.

Introducing your company. Tappinn is your own words.

Tappinn is a web platform that easily enables subscribers to build unique, "QR-connected" mobile pages and sites (Smart Sites) that are compatible with ALL smartphone web browsers. Generate and manage unlimited QR codes for these pages while tracking them all using the Tappinn analytic suite. QR codes are only as valuable as the content behind them. Tappinn believes that successful QR code campaigns start BEYOND the CODE.

The Tappinn Solution

**Mobile Page building (Smart Site) **

 -Upload images and link them anywhere on the web

-Create links that will prompt the phone to call or email a specific contact

-Build mobile user submission forms within pages to collect user info (enter to win or signup)

-Create links to social profiles and blogs

-Virtual address cards (vCards) that can be downloaded directly your phone with one touch

-Customize button and background colors for a unique combination

-Tappinn pages automatically include share links to FB, Twitter, email and "like" button.

-Pages can be turned into QR codes to share  

-Update and change page content in real time  

-Alias URL's for targeted branding

**QR code creation, tracking and management**

 -Name and categorize QR codes for every application

-QR codes are stored on the platform under the pages that they generated for.

-Easily generate codes use them immediately.

-Unlimited QR code generation and scans are allowed for no additional cost

-View top hit codes and pages, recent scans and pages landed on from the dashboard

-Track everything (page views, landing code, scans, geo locations, devices) and run CSV reports

What are the difference between QR codes and other 2D codes?

The 2-D barcode world is complex due the closed (indirect) proprietary codes on the market. This has contributed to the early adoption problems that have faced the technology often confusing the end user. The QR code is the only open format (direct) code that anybody can generate for free. Not only that, there are over 100 different apps that read QR codes due to their openness as opposed to the closed proprietary market where codes can only be read with app specific to the code. (ex. The only app that reads Microsoft Tag is Microsoft Tag) This is why I believe that the QR code makes the most sense in the long run. App creators are starting to think differently about what apps to build QR code reading function into. We are now seeing large retailers like Best Buy and social networks building QR code scanning function into their apps.

Who are your competitors and what makes you preferable over other companies offering comparable solutions?

There are lots of startups who are offering QR code or proprietary technology to communicate from print to mobile devices. The concept of scanning a code with your phone to instantly retrieve web content is FIRE but a majority of these companies are too caught up on the code itself and not focused enough BEYOND the CODE. This is far different than most QR code management platforms because of the tools and attention dedicated to the “QR-connected” page building process. The advantage to this is having a complete platform making it simple to build, deploy and track 100's of custom pages and QR codes all under one platform. Also, Tappinn QR codes are friendly to all QR code readers and we are currently working with some of those apps to offer rewards for scanning Tappinn Codes.

How do you earn money? Describe your business model?

Unlimited access to the Tappinn platform is a $49.95/mo subscription.  The membership includes unlimited QR code scanning, tracking and management within the platform. Companies and agencies can build 100's of unique "QR-connected" mobile pages which are all hosted on Tappinn's secure servers. This offers a complete package of page building, QR code creation and analytics that can't be found anywhere else on the web. Agencies can set up separate companies underneath them which will include an additional $49.95/mo subscription per company. This enables them to segregate client analytics and content within Tappinn. Agencies can also create username and passwords for clients and allow them to view only their analytics on Tappinn. Development options for the Tappinn team to build your site based on hourly design fees are available as well.                   

What are the best uses of QR codes that you have seen?

The TAG Heuer campaign powered by Tappinn is by far one of the most efficient, context sensitive QR code campaigns on record. The luxury watch brand built mobile product pages and galleries on Tappinn centered around their watch collections and celebrity ambassadors to use with Tappinn QR codes in their national print advertising. The difference is this "QR-connected" mobile site can be cloned and customized on Tappinn for ANY of their retailers. A customized TAG Heuer-Retailer site overlays store logo on every page, contact info, social links and a "find us" mapping function specific to the retailer location. This is brilliant because of the high demand for QR codes and MOBILE content. TAG retailers can sign up on Tappinn and instantly plug in to their own customized TAG Heuer mobile site that they can generate and track unlimited QR codes for. Retailers that have signed up already include Macy's, Jared the Galleria and Tourneau among others.

Why do your QR codes have a red square in the upper left corner? Is it a way to identify and recognize Tappinn’s QR codes?

The red square is not only our trademark but also symbolizes our dedication to delivering rich, secure, targeted mobile web content. We believe that in order for QR codes to carry weight in the physical world there must be value built in beyond the code. This is a philosophy that sets us apart from competitors and the red square allows users to recognize a great experience BEFORE they scan. EVERY code generated on Tappinn will include this red mark as an additional benefit to subscribers.

I’ve recently been asked about how QR codes will survive in the long term with RFID coming, what are your thoughts?

Wasn’t RFID supposed to be coming 4 years ago? Lol. RFID will be huge, NO doubt, but only for certain applications. The most efficient use will be in the form of secure mobile payments and mobile wallet function. Anybody who thinks QR codes took a long time to catch on will suffer the same anxiety waiting for this tech to go mainstream. There is currently one device on the U.S market (Nexus S) that's RFID enabled, not to mention the access to RFID chips are limited and costly. Also, it will be extremely difficult to create custom tags offering targeted content for unique contexts, unlike QR codes. I personally think there will be niches for a few different technologies in the mobile space converting the physical to mobile-digital.

What does Tappinn need or is looking for?

Tappinn is looking for brands and agencies that are hungry to connect with and deliver value to consumers via the mobile device in the form of QR code engagement. "QR connected" mobile content will become its own segment in the market and early adapters can be experts. 

  

What is your ultimate ambition for QR codes and Tappinn?

My dream/goal/ambition is the day that all consumers subconsciously perceive QR codes as valuable, especially the codes with the red square in the top left corner :) People will go out of their way to scan codes in the physical world purely because of the value and exclusiveness that lies BEYOND them. I can clearly visualize this world and I am captain of it.

Tappinn BEYOND the CODE                                     

The Ultimate QR Code For Business Cards by Tappinn

QR codes on business cards is not a new concept. Codes have been randomly popping up on the business cards of computer geeks and "techies" for over 2 years. Used in a variety of ways, QR codes on business cards are usually linked to a company website OR contain contact information (vCard) which can be downloaded instantly to the phone. This makes tons of sense given that the ultimate objective of TODAY's business card should be to land in someones digital contact manager (Outlook) or be bookmarked, followed, friended or mapped. The FASTEST way to allow this from a 2inch by 3inch piece of paper is to use a QR code, NO DOUBT! This can only be true if done correctly though. Let's look at all of the ways QR codes are being used on business cards  to understand the landscape.     

Common functions of QR codes used on business cards. 

-QR Code links to companies website (mobile or non mobile) 
-QR Code links to a Facebook profile 
-QR code links to Twitter page 
-QR code links to a blog 
-QR Code links to Linkedin profile 
-QR code links to Google Maps coordinates 
-QR code contains contact info (vCard)

This list is meant to give a snapshot of how QR codes are being used on business cards and the thought behind it. Tappinn has recognized that ALL of these QR code functions are important but much too static and inefficient by themselves.

Introducing the "Code Card", the ultimate QR code for professional business cards that includes all of the above and much more. Code Cards are created on the Tappinn platform and include a suite of analytics and custom design options that make them special to each Code Card holder. In essence, Code Cards team QR codes with a trackable, custom mobile "landing page" that includes your contact info, website, social profile links, phone prompts, logo, photos, map, Vcard and easy sharing function including a Facebook "like" button. This QR code solution ensures that your business card can be used as viable new tool for connecting with contacts in 2011.

Build "Code Cards" with an unlimited subscription to Tappinn BEYOND the CODE

QR Codes Are Old, Yup, So Is The Internet

“QR Codes are an OLD technology”… WTF? I keep hearing this from the tech-snob QR haters on Twitter or in the blogosphere as part of the famous “QR codes will never go mainstream” argument. While the QR code itself does in fact date back to 1994 when it was invented by Denso Wave as a quick way to track auto parts in Toyota factories, it has taken on a completely new identity when teamed with TODAY’s web-enables mobile device. Make NO mistake about it, 15 years AFTER the QR code was born, it is augmenting our lives in NEW ways every day! We are an instant gratification culture who already craves decoding celebrity gossip from the pages of US Weekly. QR codes could easily be the new form of content crack rock that U.S. consumers get hooked on as mobile continues to emerge into a behemoth. There will be MILLIONS of new mobile web users born into the world in 2011 btw. #Fact

Big in Japan. YES, Japan started using QR codes well before the U.S…. WE KNOW THIS. That does NOT mean they are that far ahead of us from user experience perspective. The devices over there simply aren’t web friendly enough to allow it. I’m also not sure the Japanese were using HTML 5 four years ago. Were they?  Americans have become so accustomed to hearing “Japan is light years ahead of the U.S. in mobile technology”. While this may be true for some unique applications, we still see the Japanese line the streets of Tokyo for the iPhone release. Hmmm. If they are so far ahead of us then why do we see a record demand for an American mobile device?

Ralph Lauren debuted the first QR code advertisement in the U.S. almost 3 years ago! Again, the devices were NOT in people hands yet for campaign to be as effective as it would be, say, today. To give you an idea, Android didn't exist. Part of the criticism about QR codes is that they have been around for awhile but have NOT caught on to the masses. If you exclude Blackberry (QR experience sucks) from the equation, REAL web-enabled smartphones are only about 15% of the market. The potential is ridiculous, no wonder QR codes don’t have mass adoption. It’s simply a numbers game. To bet against QR codes as a legitimate medium for mobile web content delivery, at this point, is like betting against smartphone growth! 

It’s all about the web, baby. Apple was first to bring real internet experience to the palm of our hands and now we are hooked. Each day a new Smartphone user is born wondering how they ever lived in the land of flip phones and limited data plans. NOW, freshly equipped with the web in the palm of their hands, these consumers are open to an entirely new world. The ability to access content from anywhere on our phones via the web is evolving at lightning speeds. For another example, take a look at 1D UPC barcode scanning. Same principles apply. The 1D barcode has been a staple of our society for decades yet they have only recently become useful to everyday consumers when scanned with particular app to open up a world of information that can be valuable to the buying process. This is a completely NEW model revolved around an OLD technology (1D barcodes).

SO the question is....Should QR codes even be considered "technology" at all OR are they just an ingredient to a larger "quick response mobile web technology" landscape?