Brands are using QR codes – two-dimensional matrix barcodes – on pack, in media and on in-store collateral as digital gateways to take consumers and shoppers to a world of additional content. But it is getting the content right that really matters.

 

A useful art

Brands should avoid using QR codes simply because they are the latest sparkly new addition to the digital toolbox and instead put the art of 'being useful to consumers' at the heart of their plans for using this and other technologies.

Importantly, the way grocery brands are using QR codes is changing. So far there has been a focus on price – be it discounting, loyalty-building promotions or price comparison initiatives. And while none of these are going to disappear, brands are getting better at knowing how to engage consumers.

Providing information that is truly useful is the Holy Grail.  Imagine a detergent brand whose QR code allows a smart phone to scan a stain on a piece of clothing, then identify it and provide instructions on how best to wash it. QR codes would also sit comfortably with an infant paracetamol brand. With little space on pack to provide detailed information on usage and relevant childhood illnesses, a smart phone could instantly and easily transport the concerned parent to a wealth of content.  In fact, any product with limited space on pack but a need to communicate sensitive or complex information is an obvious contender.

It’s not just brands who can use QR codes to engage with consumers; there are plenty of ways for retailers to get in on the act too. QR codes can serve a whole host of functions in-store; providing an easy to follow store plan; highlighting weekly promotions; suggesting recipes with a list of ingredients and which aisles they are located in – the list is endless. The technology can also bring the principles of social media in-store. It’s a well-known fact that in the beauty category most women are happy to follow a recommendation from a trusted stranger. A QR code in the beauty aisle could allow them to see what other shoppers have been saying about products in the category in that and neighbouring stores that week.

Some say that the recent Blippar launch in partnership with Cadbury casts doubts on the future of QR codes. Yet the point still stands that Blippar – a mobile augmented reality advertising technology – is simply the latest in a line of digital gateways and that the quality of the content it leads to remains central to its success and that of competing technologies.

 

Hugh Boyle is global digital director at Ogilvy Action follow him @hughboyle