The DVD of the movie “28 Weeks Later” (see left) is being marketed with QR (barcode-type) codes that are very popular in Japan, according to an article in The Guardian. Posters advertising the DVD include a QR code, and a giant poster that shows only the black and white code (and a URL for the movie) is displayed in London. Camera phone users may snap a photo of the QR code to obtain information about the DVD’s release and more information on the Internet.
A BBC News correspondent reported on the QR advertising campaign and his report is on YouTube (see below). For more information, check out the weblog entry by a marketing consultant and journalist who helped work on the campaign.
The right time for the U.K.?
The Guardian says it might be the right time in the U.K. for the growth of QR codes. More than half of the country’s cellular customers already have a camera phone and 95 percent of new phones sold include a camera.
The article quotes Philip Makinson, a consultant at Greenwich Consulting, who says that for the short term QR codes might be just a fun idea.
However, he also says they “could help drive not only the take-up of high-end camera phones but make more people aware of the mobile internet and more conscious of the potential their phone has to store information about products and services.”
Popularity
QR codes haven’t seen a great deal of popularity in Europe, although there certainly are companies that promote these type of codes (QR and similar graphics for camera phone snapshots). They have been employed in a variety of uses from advertising and marketing of products and events to providing information about tourist attractions.
The Guardian notes “Japan's immigration service even stamps passports with codes detailing passenger's names and visa status.” Here in the United States most people have no idea these type of applications exist, although several companies have been promoting the idea, as I’ve written in the “barcode and scanning” section of this weblog.
Some cellular phones are bundled with QR code readers and there also are several free readers available for download on the Web. Not all code readers will work with all phone operating systems. The Guardian points to readers from i-nigma and Kaywa, but there are others.
Also, in general, the higher the resolution of the camera phone the better chance of snapping a photo that software can interpret. A macro (i.e., closeup) capability on a camera phone can often produce a much better image when you’re snapping a photo of a small QR code.
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