| How much would it be worth to your brand if you | | | | website or possibly a video or audio link. |
| could interact with current and potential customers | | | | Here's how just a few brands are using this |
| when they are most interested in your products? At | | | | technology now to connect with their customers and |
| the point-of-sale; while they were reading one of your | | | | prospects: |
| advertisements or even using a promotional product | | | | Australian winemaker Lindemans is using 2D |
| from your company? And what if they could garner | | | | barcodes on their Point-of-Purchase literature to tell |
| information on your products and promotions by simply | | | | their story to consumers as well as enter them into a |
| using their cell phone's camera? | | | | mobile sweepstakes for travel and prizes. |
| Welcome to the world of 2D barcodes, the next | | | | Papa John's pizza created a mailer with a 2D |
| generation of barcodes which are accessible by most | | | | barcode. When scanned by a mobile phone |
| anyone who has a cell phone with a camera. They're | | | | consumers were directed to their website where they |
| called 2D because the information is encoded both | | | | received a promotional code for a free pizza |
| horizontally and vertically which allows for more data | | | | Axe, the cutting edge line of men's grooming |
| to be packed into these weird-looking symbols. This is | | | | products, created 2D barcodes that when activated |
| fairly new technology however savvy brands are | | | | delivers exclusive videos featuring comedians from the |
| using 2D barcodes not only to provide information on | | | | "Axe Twisted Humor Tour." |
| their products and services, but in promotions and | | | | The movie Avatar produced Point-of-Purchase |
| mobile marketing campaigns. | | | | materials using JAGTAG's 2D barcodes to deliver a |
| 89% of all cell phones hitting the market now have | | | | short Avatar video as well as the opportunity to opt-in |
| cameras in them which are key in being able to | | | | to receive ongoing promotional updates on the |
| access the information on a 2D barcode. The picture | | | | blockbuster movie. |
| to the right shows just a few examples of what these | | | | This is what's called "pull-technology" which means the |
| symbols look like, but like the old days of VHS vs. beta | | | | consumer initiates the inquiry and usually results in a |
| there are many different varieties of these barcodes | | | | much higher level of interaction than other traditional |
| vying for attention and ultimately the market will | | | | forms of static marketing. The applications for this |
| determine which ones become commonplace. Unlike | | | | technology are as infinite as a brand's imagination, but |
| the ubiquitous 1D barcodes, this new version stores | | | | include product advertising, promotions, sweepstakes, |
| much more information including and most importantly | | | | brand affinity and sampling. |
| for this discussion, hyperlinks back to websites and | | | | As for promotional products, this technology can now |
| other information on the Internet. It's now possible to | | | | enable a product handed out as a giveaway or gift to |
| create links from objects in the real world to data in | | | | actually drive recipients to become involved with a |
| the virtual world. Marketers and brands that | | | | brand. Imagine your company has introduced a new |
| understand how powerful this new technology is will | | | | product and is exhibiting in a trade show to get the |
| be able attract tech-savvy consumers and offer an | | | | word out. Imprint a 2D barcode on the promotional |
| experience that is interactive by delivering anything you | | | | product you are using and pull recipients to your |
| would see or hear on a webpage to a Smartphone. | | | | website to learn more about the product. Offer |
| So how does this work in the real world? It's fairly | | | | rewards for the first 50 or 100 people to access the |
| simple: a brand creates a 2D barcode through one of | | | | barcode, develop a video they can watch on the new |
| many providers encoding their information into the | | | | product or give discounts for orders placed online by |
| symbol which could include websites, video or audio. | | | | those who got there using the barcode. |
| They barcode is printed onto products, literature or | | | | Tough times call for innovative solutions and 2D |
| advertisements and when an interested consumer | | | | barcodes can bring a whole new dimension to your |
| sees it they use their phone with a camera to take a | | | | branding efforts. I'd love to help your company find |
| picture of the code. Some of the 2D barcode | | | | ways to use 2D barcodes on your promotional |
| providers require an application to be downloaded to | | | | products that can measure the results of expenditures. |
| recognize the symbol while newer versions simply | | | | Stay tuned to this blog for more updates on exciting |
| require you to take a picture and then text it to a | | | | ways to incorporate 2D barcodes into your |
| number which will automatically send your phone to a | | | | promotional product marketing. |