Two quicks facts to kick things off: QR Codes (Quick Response Codes) were not
designed for mobile advertising. They were created by the automotive industry
to track vehicles as they flowed through the logistics chain.
While a significant advance at the time
(1994) because they improved the scanning effectiveness (compared to barcodes)
and could hold 100 times more data, today QR codes draw mixed reactions from
consumers and developers alike.
According to Comscore’s survey of December
2011, only 20% of Americans use QR codes (this drops to 12% in Spain). The
bottom line is that QR codes are not practical for average consumers to use and
they are not the best way for
advertisers to connect with their customers.
Ever tried scanning a QR Code? You will
need both a steady hand and some trial and error in finding the best angle for
scanning. You will also need to find a Code Scanner app and download it to your
phone, as well as to know how to use it! The barriers are significant. Not to
mention the fact that QR codes can be hacked for malicious purposes, as happened in Russia.
The new way of recognizing images within
adverts (in posters, magazine ads or on packaged goods) is by Image
Recognition. Catchoom (based in
Spain) is leading the way in this, using a Cloud-based recognition system to
achieve image matching in under 0.5 seconds. The user simply points their
smartphone’s camera at the image (for example, a logo), Catchoom processes the
information with its patented image recognition algorithms, and hey presto! In
less than a second, you get a weblink, an image or a video appearing on the
phone screen. Compared to QR Codes, the technology really kicks ass, because
what are known as “false positives” are vastly reduced. This means, around 99%
of users pointing at an image to be recognized will get a perfect match and see
the information the publisher has created.
The future has arrived...RIP QR codes.
