2D mobile marketing is relatively new to the UK, but is growing in both popularity and effectiveness as another tool in the marketing armoury! Put simply, 2D Mobile Marketing it is the use of a 2D (two dimensional) barcode, which allows you to incorporate large amounts of information in a small area. Current research shows over half of the UK’s mobile telephones users already have a barcode scanner in their telephones that can decipher a 2D message.
Let’s put it in perspective. UN Research published in February 2010 indicates that 67% of the world’s population is a mobile phone user and this far outweighs online access. Most of us carry our mobile with us; we use it as our calendar our address book, we use it for listening to music, watching the news, for emails and for socializing. As marketers, we should be seeking every opportunity to maximize potential in a way our customers feel comfortable with.
What is a 2d barcode?
2D or QR (Quick Response) codes are two dimensional barcodes that allow barcode readers (generally pre-installed mobile Apps) to decode. Web addresses, phone numbers or hidden messages can all be contained in the 2D barcode that enables you to speak to or interact with your audience. They can be used on T-shirts, posters, bus shelters and off-the-page advertisements – and these are just a few of the applications that can be incorporated into 2D mobile marketing. Simply put, you can direct your audience straight to a web address and mobile website or even a telephone number so that your audience can get in touch with you instantly.
Uses in conjunction with catalogues or other printed literature
Take a standard catalogue page for example. There’s a limited amount of space to display product information, images, prices and promotions. Adding a QR code to the product description, design or text enables our customers to scan the code and be directed to a mobile page. This provides additional information or even enables immediate purchase through a specialist mobile-commerce site. This adds another channel for customer communications and purchase opportunities and provides the marketer greater opportunities for acquiring new prospect names.
Who does it work for?
Latest figures suggest by 2013 more people will browse the internet via their mobiles than their computers and that 70% of all new UK mobile phones will have a bar code reader built in/or downloadable as a usable App. 2D barcode readers for most mobiles can also be easily downloaded from a number of sources. In Japan 90% of all mobile phone users scan QR codes on a daily basis from all sorts of media. Already innovative brands are using 2D codes to target ‘early adopters’ and beginning to realise its potential. As pace gains towards the inevitable mobile world, the late and mid majorities will follow shortly after. This trend should lead us to prepare ourselves for a new marketing channel.
Turning traditional media interactive!
Turning traditional media interactive will further enhance a true multi-channel shopping experience. Providing experiential marketing through; video, music and promotions from a printed page may appeal. Creating relationships with customers that ‘opt’ in to having mobile dialogue with their favoured brands is certainly a new form of permission marketing. Allowing customers the flexibility to buy online immediately using their mobile has got to be a benefit to us all. As a mechanic for promotions 2D does give an immediate track able and paperless audit of who is interested and what they’re interested in. For the customer, the benefits are abundant. They have more choice to interact with their favoured brands. Customers can receive promotions via their mobiles which means the promotions are always available to them, brand and promotion access is immediate and for the early adopters who champion innovation there is a very smooth process to go viral.
In summary
It is likely that we will see these little bar codes more and more over the coming months being used in all sorts of media. How long will it be before this technology enhances our catalogues?
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