Reporting QR Code Abuse

Last night my colleague and I are driving back from a digital marketing event when I spoted an enormous QR code covering half of a billboard on top of a building and I wonder….

On one hand it’s absolutely thrilling to see quick response codes becoming so readily adopted by mainstream marketers after having been locked up for decades in Toyota’s warehouses in Japan. It’s encouraging for us mobile marketing pioneers to encounter supporters of our cause as we pave the way for marketing managers to embrace the mobile space.

On the other hand I wonder who comes up with the idea of spending loads of money on developing a campaign, and buying the ad space only to put that QR code on top of a building where it can only be scanned by Inspector Gadget. I don’t just wonder, I mean I actually want to call the advertiser and ask ‘why?’, ‘what were you thinking?’ or ‘were you thinking? Or did you leave that up to the genius that decided that your marketing budget should be allocated to QR codes on billboards?’.

I don’t want to go on complaining about how QR codes are mis-integrated into marketing campaigns. Rather I think that the obvious evidence of the abuse and misuse of them can prompt everyone to just take a little step back to basics. Assuming-dangerous waters- that you (advertiser) understand what a ‘Quick Response’ code is and you’re not just compelled to use it because you think it looks cool:

First, review your objectives. Ask yourself why you want to use QR codes. Is it to engage customers? Is it to investigate consumer behavior? Are you driving customers to a specific action?

Second, explore the possibilities. Ask yourself how you’d like to implement them. Are you providing value-add info? Is there a survey or questionnaire involved? Are you giving incentives to take action?

Thirdly, know your customers. Who are you targeting? What do they need from you in order to respond appropriately. Consumers today are quite intelligent but even the intelligent need some explanation as to why there’s a strange looking square shaped black and white illustration on your print ad. Marketing basically boils down to communication and unless your target market learns the QR code language and can decipher the meaning and purpose by just looking at it, you aren’t communicating anything.

How to Evaluate Mobile Agencies?
The demand for mobile expertise has never been stronger, but selecting the right agency for your mobile related inquires might be a bit difficult, considering the lack of information for evaluating mobile agencies. Before you decide to hire an agency, you need to consider many factors such as: their capabilities, previous projects, geographical coverage, client relationships, and many more.

In search for a Mobile Agency?
The good news is, there are many agencies out there; the bad news is, there are many agencies out there!!
What I’m trying to say is, there are many agencies that can do the mobile marketing for you, but there are not that many who can deliver great mobile marketing practices that actually create profit.

You know why? Because a great mobile agency should not only be composed of the best technical people, but also professional marketers who have been working in the field for a very long time, as well as a great creative team who can add spices to the well planned, well created, and well managed mobile initiatives.

Details you need to know to be able to select the right agency

• Do they have the ability to deliver from creation to implementation?
• Will the mobile agency be strategic and creative or purely technical? It’s important to align your brand with thinkers and innovators rather than pure technical capabilities.
• Is the agency a mobile expert or just the new agency on the block? For instance, if the agency was a domain expert till a couple of days ago and now hangs a mobile sign on its door, how much of help can it be for you?
• Will your business goals be met if you choose an agency only based on price? Well, it’s like everything else: you get what you pay for!
• Do they offer you tools allowing you to view your campaign in real-time and make adjustments along the way? Make sure to insist on the ability to look at how your program is performing so you can make changes if necessary.
• Can the agency handle operation during peak times without failure?
• What are their specialties?
• Who are their business partners?
• What previous projects and case studies are they holding?
• Do they receive recommendations from their clients?
• Are they able to cover a greater market to advertise your product or service?
• Will this mobile agency help me build an experience that adds value for your users?
• Are they able to take good care of your reputation as a brand?
• Do they have a professional marketing strategist?
• Does the agency have the capabilities you need to deliver your unique brand experience? There are some challenges with mobile; for instance, you need to create your app in a way to be viewed on thousands of mobile devices with different levels of sophistication. The agency that can produce consistent brand experiences across different devices is a keeper!

Key takeaway
Mobile is a huge and diverse business and anyone can claim to be a full-service mobile agency, but clients are usually looking for an agency with a proven expertise in specific areas that can add real value for their target market.

When evaluating & selecting a mobile agency, look at their profile, who they are, what’s their mission, vision, how do they treat their clients & employees, and try to learn as much as you can about their core values and capabilities to see if it matches your business goals. All you have to do is look for a reputable mobile marketing agency that will work with your budget and your goals.

Mobile is complicated, but tapping into the correct agency’s expertise will move you faster from strategy to development and then to results.
We have taken the time to understand what it takes to be a good mobile agency and we put to practice everything we preach.  We see ourselves as domain experts that entered the mobile space before the hype and are in it for the long haul.