We’ve all seen QR codes in ads, on signs and in stores. The technology was developed by Toyota in 1994 for tracking auto part inventories. By using your cellphone’s camera and a QR reader app, the codes can direct you to a website, send a text or even play a movie. The QR code in our headline directs you to our danburg.com website. 

My initial opinion is that the general public still has no idea about QR Codes. At 2 recent networking meetings, I found that about 10% of commercial brokers and local business owners had used QR codes. In the real estate industry, I know that one local company has added QR Codes to their leasing signs. Also, CRE-Sources, a regional real estate publication, puts a QR Code on each listing in their directory. In the October 2011 edition of the Boca Observer, a magazine published by one of our tenants, four ads (out of hundreds) included a QR Code. That’s not too many, but it’s four more than they used to have. So we are seeing the technology slowly gaining acceptance

QR technology is still in its infancy, but adoption is beginning to grow.  According to comScore, which analyzes digital media, 14 million mobile phone users scanned a QR code or a barcode in June. 53% of the users were white males between the ages of 18 and 34 and  36% had household incomes above $100,000. While younger users are quicker to embrace the technology, it is important to note that the use of QR codes appeals to an upscale demographic. In Commercial Real Estate, adoption of QR technology will be slower that it is in the music and fashion industries which appeal to a younger demographic.  Still, Debbie Colangenlo publisher of CRE-Sources says that usage of the QR Codes in her publication is increasing every month.

The key to bringing QR technology into the mainstream will be for advertisers to find creative applications.  Victoria’s secret seems to be on to something.

QR Codes have also proven effective in enhancing in-store shopping experiences. At Best Buy, you can click on a QR code at a product display for more information.  They have also been used on wine bottles so a consumer can learn about how and where it is produced. Another successful QR Campaign was created for Zoo Records in Hong Kong, (the English commentary begins at about 0:30). I’m still not convinced that QR Codes will be the preferred method of interaction, but application of  mobile technology provides a tremendous opportunity to connect marketers with consumers. 

Do you need an application to scan QR Codes, do you want to make you own QR Codes?

We’ve provided some links to help you to use QR Codes. On the Blackberry Bold 9700, I tried the AT&T code scanner and was quite disappointed.  I’ve found that Scan Life is much better and is very easy to use.  Navigate to getscanlife.com and the program will recognize your device and install the proper version for free.  Scanlife is available for Android, Iphone and Windows Phone.  Once its installed, all you need to do is start the app, take a picture of the QR Code, and the app will direct your browser to  the page associated with the code.  As a bonus Scanlife, scans product barcodes and allows you to compare prices.

Other popular scanner apps are I-Nigma, (Iphone, Android and Blackberry) QR Code Reader by Shopsavvy (Iphone and Android)  and Quickmark (Iphone, Android and Windows Phone). These can all be downloaded from the Android Market the Apple App Store the Windows Marketplace or Blackberry App World.

Are you looking to create your own QR Codes? We’ve been using Bitly.com which not only provides you with shortened web addresses, but also creates free QR Codes which can be downloaded.  Zxing is a highly rated generator that can crate QR codes for text messages, websites and geographic location.  And not to be left out Google has its own URL shortener that creates QR Codes. Scanlife and some of the other app developers also have code generators.

At this point, you should be an expert in the world of QR codes.  I am beginning to use the technology, although I will admit that other than finding out Erin’s secret, QR codes have not yet done a whole lot to improve my life.  It is going to be up to us as marketers to find creative ways to use this technology. For now, it’s a new tool in our toolbox.  I’m sure that there will be some who will find useful and profitable applications of this technology.  We hope to be among that group!

– Ken Silberling, Danburg Management, Director of Business Development