At ScanLife, we’re always excited to see QR Codes used in unique and innovative ways. After great success with their Doritos Los Tacos and MTV VMA campaigns, Taco Bell has continued its tradition of innovative QR Code implementation with the launch of their new Cantina Bell Menu. The quick serve giant has deployed ScanLife powered QR Codes as part of a print campaign that’s running across major publications like People and US Weekly.

The QR Code (pictured above) is the centerpiece of the ad and is literally made of fresh ingredients like lemons and avocados. The code is connecting users to a mobile optimized landing page which delivers all types of Cantina Bell content.

You can even see the making of  the QR Code which was no small task!

Once on the mobile page, you can find descriptions and nutritional information on each product as well as recipe ideas from celebrity chefs and the ability to share each item via social media. Users can also find additional options such as a nearest store locator and “tell us what you think” page, where people can easily tweet their thoughts from their Twitter profile.

Kudos to Taco Bell as this campaign is another strong example of using valuable mobile content to engage customers with their brand.

Anticipation is building for the 2012 Summer Olympics, and it looks like fans will be gearing up with QR Codes.  This first ad ran last week in the local newspapers and links to a nifty mobile landing page where you can browse for Olympic hats, t-shirts, pins, and more – all by scanning a QR Code!  Plus you can Like on Facebook or Follow on Twitter.  They even added the Olympic logo in their code!

Try it out yourself, and get into the Olympic spirit.  We hear there is more QR Code Olympic action to come very soon…

For those of us who live in London, and have the dubious pleasure of using public transport daily, QR codes are becoming part of the landscape. We see them in the daily newspapers, on billboards, advertisements, etc. To the surprise of many, including your humble correspondent, marketers seem undeterred by the complete lack of wi-fi or 3G network in the underground. This led us here at Scanbuy to wonder, and assess, how successful these QR codes could be.

Over the last 12 months, we’ve taken note of the codes we have found in the tube stations and checked the ones in the free daily newspapers. The statistics resulting from QR codes created with free generators such as bit.ly are freely accessible, therefore we have been able to access the results and analyse their success.

To our surprise, the lack of wireless data network doesn’t seem to prevent people from scanning. The most important success factors, however, are the call to action and repeated, regular exposure to an ad: a decently-executed QR code results in one to two thousand scans per ad placement per day in high volume papers. A very well-executed QR code could lead to five time this, whereas a poorly done one could easily result in just 200 scans.

We also notice that big, obvious mistakes are not uncommon even among leading brands and agencies: in 75% of cases the landing pages are not mobile optimised.

Another common mistake is the use of direct codes (i.e. the URL is directly encoded in the QR code): Lovefilm 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.

On the bright side Transport for London, the government body responsible for the city’s transport system, recently announced plans to introduce free wireless Internet access in the London Underground.

Despite the current lack of internet coverage and uneven execution of QR codes, people do scan and respond to QR codes. Marketers can only imagine the size of the opportunity once there will be internet coverage. But they need to get the basics right first, and understand that a QR code can be much, much more than just a URL in disguise.

For expert advice, please contact us.

Not too long ago, we selected our top QR Code Campaigns for 2011, a collection that featured some very inspired and creative work. With 2012 well on its way, it seems marketers are growing even more skilled and ambitious  in their QR efforts.

So if you’re among the 86% of marketers planning to use QR codes, here’s a selection of the best campaigns in 2012 to some extra inspiration.

Company: SAS
Industry: Tourism

Scandinavian Airlines launched a promotion that required two mobile devices, side by side, to scan the code in order to obtain a deal. The “2 for 1 offer that takes 2 to see”. Amazing results. Check out the video here.

Company: Mercedes Benz
Industry: Automotive

Why re-invent the wheel when you have a winning formula ? Inspired by the success of the QR Code race in Singapore, Mercedes-Benz launched “the A-Class QR-Trophy” competition which allowed participants to compete and collect “badges”. A video trailer can be seen here.

Company: Maserati
Industry: Automotive

Maserati placed QR codes in print ads, which redirected users to a site where they could design the GranTurismo S of their dreams, find the location of the nearest dealer, and subscribe to the site’s email newsletter. Read more.

Company:NRMA
Industry: Insurance

A bus shelter in Sydney, Australia was set up to stereo speakers that played tracks selected by the public via QR Code. This campaign was designed to show that unlike other car insurance companies, NRMA covers extras such as custom sound systems. Find out more.

Company: Starbucks
Industry: Quick Serve Restaurant

Starbucks coffee lovers could find their favourite roast via a new campaign incorporating customized QR codes. The Starbucks bookmark flyer let consumers “find the roast they love the most” by scanning the ScanLife-powered QR code and voting for their favourite roast. Read more.

Company:Yoobi
Industry: Restaurant

While London’s first Temaki Sushi restaurant was still under construction, the owners were able to reach out to consumers early. Construction was concealed behind a display of a QR code fish waiting to be scanned by pedestrians. Catching the fish gave the potential customer discounts for the grand opening of the restaurant. Find out more.

Company: Heineken
Industry: Beverage

At a music festival in Poland, Heineken gave everyone attending the possibility to print and stick a QR code on themselves, which when scanned gave information about them and what they like doing. While it helped breaking the ice between participants, it also turned festival goers into walking billboards for the company. Read more.

Company: Budweiser
Industry: Beverage

Global beer brand Budweiser integrated QR codes into their product packaging, which allowed consumers to track their specific beer’s history. The content provided for the “Track Your Bud” campaign provided customers additional information about the source of their beverage, the way that its ingredients were selected, and the brewing process. Find out more.

Company: Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest (PPGNW)
Industry: Non-profit

To promote safe sex, PPGNW released 55,000 condoms with wrappers equipped with a QR code. After scanning the code, users could “check in”, displaying an interactive map showing where other users had done the same. Read more.

Company: The United States Playing Card Company
Industry: Toys

The US Playing Card Company developed ‘Jacked Up’ decks in which select cards contain QR Codes. Scanning the card during the game changes the rules. The decks will be available in April for the games of Solitaire, War and Hearts. Watch the video.

Company: ScanLife
Industry: 2D Barcodes

ScanLife kicked off the “ScanSocial” campaign at SXSW. Users had to scan the ScanSocial QR Code to enter the game and received their own QR badge linking to their Twitter profile. When people scanned the badge, they became your follower, giving you more points. Daily prizes were awarded to people in Austin with the highest number of followers. Find out more.

For expert advice or questions on QR Codes and mobile engagement opportunities consider reaching out:
-  Visit ScanLife.com
- Join the LinkedIn Group “Exchanging Smarter Ideas on Mobile Engagement”
- Or, simply contact us at sales@scanlife.com

Here are some of our most recent campaign examples for the month of December.  2D codes were used by a variety of different industry categories including:

• Film: Movie Poster for “I Am Number Four” – Code linked to entry of an exclusive sweepstakes.
• Retail: Target Holiday Catalog – Code linked to videos like a “How-To TV Buying Guide”.
• Sports: NHL – Code linked to YouTube video promoting the Winter Classic in Pittsburgh.
• Non-Profit: City Harvest – Code linked to a menu of options on how to help feed the homeless

Here’s one example, and you can check out the rest from our Flickr page.

Stay tuned for more examples, and follow us on Twitter for new examples as they launch!

By now you’ve probably seen ScanLife’s codes in the pages of Metro News, Esquire Magazine, Popular Mechanics, Wired, and many more publications.

This week, Edmonton Journal, a daily newspaper, introduced ScanLife to their readers with a big splash.  They printed a giant code on their front page, placed shelf talkers wherever papers were sold, and even celebrated with a launch party!

The codes allow readers to get more info from content like the Bistro section with restaurant reviews and recipes.  Each columnist also has their own code so readers can interact and comment on certain stories.  Many more applications will be added over the coming days.

Here is some video from the launch party.



Thanks to Mastermaq for the images and video!

Mobile Marketer has a good post on a study from the Audit Bureau of Circulations which covers how the publishing industry is embracing the mobile device.  It talks about how improvements in smart phone hardware and network speeds have made the consumer experience more rewarding.

“Smartphones make for a more satisfying reader experience, and these devices are more prevalent than ever,” said Neal Lulofs, senior vice president of communications and strategic planning at the Audit Bureau of Circulations, Schaumburg, IL.

“On the publishing side, mobile is part of a natural progression of news delivery that for several years has been evolving from print-only to multiplatform (print, online, PC, mobile and etcetera),” he said. “News consumption is also an obvious and valued way for consumers to use their devices with high frequency.”

Some key stats:

• More than 80 percent of newspaper and magazine respondents believe people will rely more heavily on mobile devices as a primary information source in the next three years. (more…)