When two worlds collide

Gap in Offline and Online Business

The use of QR codes is gaining traction in the print world. As technology evolves, the print industry is looking for ways that it can adapt and keep up with people’s interests. The two industries have been in conflict for many years and, for the most part, both have been unable to succeed over the other. As QR codes rise to prominence, a new line of thought is developing, one that suggests that technology and print can work together instead of competing against one another.

The codes are becoming a familiar sight in newspaper and magazine publications but many are still baffled by the black and white blocky patterns they see in advertisements. Recent studies have shown that even if an individual were to recognize the code for what it was, they were unlikely to know how to use it. It would seem that companies making use of QR codes have done so without taking the appropriate measures in educating consumers on how to use them.

Because of this seemingly insignificant oversight, many in the mobile marketing industry have dismissed the codes as nothing more than novelty. Some argue that the codes, when used in online marketing, offer nothing that cannot be found elsewhere on the Internet. John D. Fauller, director of print-to-marketing solutions at Conde Nast, says that QR codes show their true potential when used with print media.

QR codes allow publishers to present a much more personal experience for their readers. Two years ago, Time Inc., used the codes to present a much more personalized version of their famous publication. By using the codes, they were able to bridge the gap between offline and online content successfully, and were able to do it without breaking the bank.

Used properly, the codes are a powerful yet simple solution to engaging consumers that are up to their necks in technology.

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