Big waves being made in code marketing by two industry giants

AT&T QR Code and Microsoft Tags

Marketing and Tech experts believe that 2d barcodes will become sales tools as ubiquitous as Facebook or texting in the near future. As they begin to see more use, familiarity grows and they become integrated with everyday life. Because smart phones are becoming the tool of choice for just about everyone, the use of QR codes is becoming paramount to a business’s ability to compete in the field.

“It’s something that adds value without costing customers too much,” said Michelle Beauchamp, assistant professor of marketing at Middle Tennessee State University. She says that, like anything else, QR’s popularity will rely heavily on consumers’ comfort. “If it’s a good experience, they are going to keep using it.”

Most businesses have been using QR codes that can be scanned using any barcode scanning application. Companies like Microsoft and AT&T, however, have developed proprietary codes that can only be scanned through use of their scanning software.

Microsoft Tags and AT&T’s codes are the first in what experts are calling the next generation of QR codes. Both companies offer their scanners for free, and their software can scan both their proprietary codes as well as normal QR codes. With QR on the cusp of becoming a worldwide standard, both companies are working together to establish global standards.

Robert Russell, AT&T’s mobility product management marketing director, claims that discussions are already underway to make bar code use more standard, saying “A lot of what’s being discussed is how to make this ecosystem more standard.”

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