Mistakes with QR Codes

Obvious mistakes are not uncommon even among leading brands and agencies: in 75% of cases the landing pages are not mobile optimised (ScanLife, 2012). This means that when the user scans the code, it will bring them to for instance a website that is difficult to see as it is not formatted for mobile phone use. This is cumbersome and essentially not user friendly.

Another common mistake is the poor use of direct codes (i.e. the URL is directly encoded in the QR code): Love film for example, printed one million DVD envelopes with a code that couldn’t work because of a typo in the encoded URL. Moreover, most QR codes just lead to a website, when in reality they could do much more, such as inviting users to engage with advertisers through emails, twitter, etc. 

Marks & Spencer’s used the black and white matrix in one of their promotional campaigns and referred to them as QR Codes when in fact they were using another type of code called a Data Matrix Codes (See image).

“We’re trialling QR codes as an innovative new way to communicate with our customers. As this stage it’s only on our Food to Go freshly squeezed juices".

This does not help QR Code popularity and unfortunately it is not an uncommon mistake. This inevitably makes it a difficult task for consumes to attain a grasp of the Codes when the marketer cannot distinguish between the two.

There are clear differences between the QR Code and Data matrix code such as the notable 3 large squares on the corners of the QR Code but some similarities in form and colour exist though Data matrix codes tend to be smaller in size.

QR Code/MS Tag/ Data Matrix Code

Initially rivalry subsisted between QR Codes and Data Matrix Codes but the world of marketing embraced QR Codes. Data Matrix codes prevail mainly for logistics, shipping and billing purposes. Other codes have also been created that compound the adoption barrier to already fledging consumer behaviour such as MS Tags. Though MS Tags appear different to the black and white squares they harness huge investment. It is not surprising that companies want to get on the bridge that embraces offline and online but it threatens a universal simple system.