What’s Next?
Inthe year 2005, while I was in middle school, I communicated in ways that are nowthought to be “outdated.” I would go home from school and call my friends on myhouse phone and tell them to go on aim chat or to look at my new MySpacepicture. Five years later, if someone told me to go on MySpace, I’d tell themthat I deleted mine and to go look me up on Facebook!! Time is an interestingthing because as it changes and goes on, so does technology.
Five years ago, while I was in eighthgrade, there were only a select few people that had cell phones. Those that didhave a phone were envied by almost everyone in the class! I begged and beggedmy parents to get me one, but they kept on saying no. Towards the end of eighthgrade, my parents gave me a cell phone for my fourteenth birthday. I thought Iwas the coolest kid in school! I never text messaged on my phone, used it for acalendar, or surfed the web. I simply used my cell phone to call my friendshouse phones or to call my parents and let them know what I was doing. But asexpected, technology has evolved.
Using your cell phone to actually makecalls is now out-weighed by the ability to almost anything with the touch of abutton. You can download applications and change your Facebook status simultaneously on the same device. I have theBlackberry Torch, which is a 2010 version of a smart phone. I can download justabout anything on my cell phone. I can download an application that starts mycar in the winter, or I can use my calendar to keep track of my assignmentsthat are due. Using a phone to simply make calls is almost unheard of now.
I was reading a magazine a few weeks ago,and in the corner of an advertisement, I noticed a small square box with ablack and white pattern inside that looked similar to a barcode. Underneath thebox in small writing, it said “QR Code- Scan above.” I had no idea what thismeant. So I took out my laptop and googled it (like most people in thisgeneration do!!) According to beetagg.com, a QR code is, a barcode that is readable by QR scanners/readers, mobilephones with a camera, or with a smart phone.
The process is simple. First, you have todownload the QR reader application. If you have a smart phone, in your specificphone carrier’s app store you will find numerous versions, and in most cases,the app is free. One of the most popular applications that can do this featureis called “bee-tagg.” After the application is installed, the rest is easy andup to you. When you see a QR code, you just go to the scanner app, and it takesa picture of the code and instantly sends you where the advertisers wanted youto go. The code consists of black squiggles arranged in a square pattern with awhite background. The information encoded in the small box can be anything fromsimple text about a product/company, or it could send you directly to aspecific website relating to a certain product that they are trying to sell.
More and more companies are using this new formof advertising, and I think that in 5 years, we will begin to see QR codes as amajor way to find out information on companies and products. This new form ofadvertising is going to overpower any other type of marketing. “Companies allover the world are beginning to use QR codes to reach out to consumers. A lotof people are taking interest in it, and we are getting a very positivereaction.” Michael Hoffman the CEO of the Toro Company said this when askedabout Toro’s recent addition to QR codes in their advertisements.
According to www.outputlinks.com, QR codes have been used in billboard ads,event ticketing and tracking, in-store displays, business cards, print ads, trade-showmanagement, contests, websites, email marketing, and couponing. Marketers areshowing extra interest in this new technology because it gives them the abilityto measure consumers’ response rates, which in turn helps them with theirreturn on investment calculations. That helps companies justify the amount ofspending they need to do on marketing and advertising.
Companies in Japan have been using QR codes forthe last few years and major companies in the United States are jumping on thebandwagon as well. Worldwide corporations like Walt Disney have been using QRcodes a lot on their advertising. For example, Disney has been using the codeson their advertising for their college intern program. On the postersdistributed throughout colleges all over the United States, they have a QR codein the bottom left corner. If you scan the code with your QR reader, itinstantly sends you to a website with information and a full video explainingmore about the program. There was even a link to an application that you couldimmediately submit. Disney is also using QR codes in their TV commercials. Forexample, during a commercial for a Disney movie or show, a code pops up in thecorner. If you walk up to your television and scan it, you are immediately sentto a link where you can purchase whatever it is they are trying to sell.
One of the cool things about the QR codes isthat it not only benefits the companies directly, but the customers. I believethat this is the future of shopping as well. In a few years, we won’t need tocarry around credit cards and cash; because of QR codes, they will beunnecessary. If you are perusing through the newspaper or browsing through amagazine and you see a product you want to know more about or even purchasethat option will be available with the touch of a button. For example, if youare flipping through a fashion magazine, and you see a model wearing a shirtyou are interested in, you just scan the QR code and you will be directed to alink that will allow you to buy it. The future of QR will include the option toconnect the code with your bank account. This will permit you to buy thingsdirectly and efficiently.
QR codes are not just for big companies to use,several people are beginning to utilize them for their own benefit. Fastcompany.comtalks about the advantages of using QR codes to promote anything from your selfto a personal or private business. Gina Trapani owns her own small flowercompany and instead of passing out business cards with all of her informationon it, she has a card with her picture on it and a QR code underneath it.
Not only are QR codes helpful in advertising,they have also been know as “going green marketing.” Society now is all about“going green” and conserving things to better preserve our world. QR readershelp save paper because you don’t need to print off receipts or pages and pagesof brochures; you can just view and save them electronically. This can also helpwith bill and transaction organization.
Businessesare also using QR codes in a more interactive way. Writers Tony Trov and Johnny Zito make comics for the websitecomixology.com. It is an online only comic book series that allows you todownload the different issues straight to your phone. Recently, Trov and Zito havestarted using QR codes to keep their readers involved. At the end of everycomic, they have a QR code that readers can scan and find out bonus materialabout that specific story, or find out a sneak peek about the next one.
Theworld is changing and so is technology. In 5 years QR codes are going to play amajor part in the lives of consumers. I think that is it important to embracenew technology and it is our job to use our ideas to find ways to improve it.As the years pass, technology is going to affect us all.
Five years ago, while I was in eighthgrade, there were only a select few people that had cell phones. Those that didhave a phone were envied by almost everyone in the class! I begged and beggedmy parents to get me one, but they kept on saying no. Towards the end of eighthgrade, my parents gave me a cell phone for my fourteenth birthday. I thought Iwas the coolest kid in school! I never text messaged on my phone, used it for acalendar, or surfed the web. I simply used my cell phone to call my friendshouse phones or to call my parents and let them know what I was doing. But asexpected, technology has evolved.
Using your cell phone to actually makecalls is now out-weighed by the ability to almost anything with the touch of abutton. You can download applications and change your Facebook status simultaneously on the same device. I have theBlackberry Torch, which is a 2010 version of a smart phone. I can download justabout anything on my cell phone. I can download an application that starts mycar in the winter, or I can use my calendar to keep track of my assignmentsthat are due. Using a phone to simply make calls is almost unheard of now.
I was reading a magazine a few weeks ago,and in the corner of an advertisement, I noticed a small square box with ablack and white pattern inside that looked similar to a barcode. Underneath thebox in small writing, it said “QR Code- Scan above.” I had no idea what thismeant. So I took out my laptop and googled it (like most people in thisgeneration do!!) According to beetagg.com, a QR code is, a barcode that is readable by QR scanners/readers, mobilephones with a camera, or with a smart phone.
The process is simple. First, you have todownload the QR reader application. If you have a smart phone, in your specificphone carrier’s app store you will find numerous versions, and in most cases,the app is free. One of the most popular applications that can do this featureis called “bee-tagg.” After the application is installed, the rest is easy andup to you. When you see a QR code, you just go to the scanner app, and it takesa picture of the code and instantly sends you where the advertisers wanted youto go. The code consists of black squiggles arranged in a square pattern with awhite background. The information encoded in the small box can be anything fromsimple text about a product/company, or it could send you directly to aspecific website relating to a certain product that they are trying to sell.
More and more companies are using this new formof advertising, and I think that in 5 years, we will begin to see QR codes as amajor way to find out information on companies and products. This new form ofadvertising is going to overpower any other type of marketing. “Companies allover the world are beginning to use QR codes to reach out to consumers. A lotof people are taking interest in it, and we are getting a very positivereaction.” Michael Hoffman the CEO of the Toro Company said this when askedabout Toro’s recent addition to QR codes in their advertisements.
According to www.outputlinks.com, QR codes have been used in billboard ads,event ticketing and tracking, in-store displays, business cards, print ads, trade-showmanagement, contests, websites, email marketing, and couponing. Marketers areshowing extra interest in this new technology because it gives them the abilityto measure consumers’ response rates, which in turn helps them with theirreturn on investment calculations. That helps companies justify the amount ofspending they need to do on marketing and advertising.
Companies in Japan have been using QR codes forthe last few years and major companies in the United States are jumping on thebandwagon as well. Worldwide corporations like Walt Disney have been using QRcodes a lot on their advertising. For example, Disney has been using the codeson their advertising for their college intern program. On the postersdistributed throughout colleges all over the United States, they have a QR codein the bottom left corner. If you scan the code with your QR reader, itinstantly sends you to a website with information and a full video explainingmore about the program. There was even a link to an application that you couldimmediately submit. Disney is also using QR codes in their TV commercials. Forexample, during a commercial for a Disney movie or show, a code pops up in thecorner. If you walk up to your television and scan it, you are immediately sentto a link where you can purchase whatever it is they are trying to sell.
One of the cool things about the QR codes isthat it not only benefits the companies directly, but the customers. I believethat this is the future of shopping as well. In a few years, we won’t need tocarry around credit cards and cash; because of QR codes, they will beunnecessary. If you are perusing through the newspaper or browsing through amagazine and you see a product you want to know more about or even purchasethat option will be available with the touch of a button. For example, if youare flipping through a fashion magazine, and you see a model wearing a shirtyou are interested in, you just scan the QR code and you will be directed to alink that will allow you to buy it. The future of QR will include the option toconnect the code with your bank account. This will permit you to buy thingsdirectly and efficiently.
QR codes are not just for big companies to use,several people are beginning to utilize them for their own benefit. Fastcompany.comtalks about the advantages of using QR codes to promote anything from your selfto a personal or private business. Gina Trapani owns her own small flowercompany and instead of passing out business cards with all of her informationon it, she has a card with her picture on it and a QR code underneath it.
Not only are QR codes helpful in advertising,they have also been know as “going green marketing.” Society now is all about“going green” and conserving things to better preserve our world. QR readershelp save paper because you don’t need to print off receipts or pages and pagesof brochures; you can just view and save them electronically. This can also helpwith bill and transaction organization.
Businessesare also using QR codes in a more interactive way. Writers Tony Trov and Johnny Zito make comics for the websitecomixology.com. It is an online only comic book series that allows you todownload the different issues straight to your phone. Recently, Trov and Zito havestarted using QR codes to keep their readers involved. At the end of everycomic, they have a QR code that readers can scan and find out bonus materialabout that specific story, or find out a sneak peek about the next one.
Theworld is changing and so is technology. In 5 years QR codes are going to play amajor part in the lives of consumers. I think that is it important to embracenew technology and it is our job to use our ideas to find ways to improve it.As the years pass, technology is going to affect us all.