Episode 5 - We Look Back at the Best QR Code Marketing Campaigns of 2022

You are tuning in to this take here's podcast. Presented by QR Tiger, the most advanced QR code generator. In this episode, join QR code expert Benjamin Clies as he offers insight on QR code marketing in 2023. Don't miss out on the chance to stay ahead of the game and get the insight scoop on the latest QR code trends. Only here on Stay Curious, your Live will guide it all thanks QR code. Welcome to Stay Curious, where we talk about the latest and QR code trends. I'm Kristal and we're here right now with QR code expert Benjamin Clies. We're talking everything QR codes in 2023 and we'll be covering chat GPT, web 3 NFC's and many more. So let's dive in. And first off, Ben, Happy New Year. We're also excited how to see how the year will unfold. But before we dive into the future of QR codes, I think it pays to have a look back and see how far have QR codes really come. And what's the biggest innovation you've seen in 2022 as a look back? Yeah, happy New Year, Kristal. So when I look at QR codes in 2022, there's been a lot of exciting things happened. Maybe important to understand that QR codes today, I mean, not today, but this year exist 30 years. It's a kind of technology that is already 30 years on the market and actually breaking through as we speak. It's just been breaking through to for many reasons. And of course, it has been used in very exciting ways in advertising. I think you can recall or come base with that QR code on the Super Bowl. For example, so marketing did a lot of things with QR codes. I've seen it in fashion shows where there was this big QR code that you could scan and then what is kind of a Rs jumping out. There's been a lot of kind of interesting things happening and experimenting with QR codes to connect people with their smartphone to something that is happening there offline. Also in smart cities, I've seen QR codes where QR codes are something like, you know, where people can connect to different things in a city and, you know, get more information. All this kind of thing. So this I think is also an interesting trend that we can see cryptocurrencies and finance, sure, NFTs, you know, last year before the crypto crash NFTs were a big thing. I'm still believe it's going to be a big thing, but, you know, everything comes with an up and down in a stock market. So did so did NFTs, right. But we'll see what's going to come next Web 3 for sure that something that is holds at the moment. Many people are busy to think about decentralized internet, how that can be efficient. And then I think the other interesting thing and that's what is everybody's talking about today that's ChatGDP AI, how is this changing the whole industry, the whole digital industry, right. So this is I think there's a lot of new interesting trends going within the QR code space as well, following all those other things because QR codes are the access point, you know, to any kind of thing, right. The bridge between something offline is online and that I think believe work, you know, keep playing an important role in that space, right. And that I think is the most important thing to understand charcoats are the starting point for an AR experience for an NFT, maybe for a decentralized application. So all these kind of things. That's true. And even to me, what really stood out for me in 2022 was basically the function of QR codes in hospitality and in the restaurants as well, because you'd think it was just a work around during the pandemic. But then restaurants really saw the improvement for QR code menus and they're using it regularly now, especially that people are seeing the what you call this are seeing the functionality of it and the convenience of ordering through their QR codes. It's really amazing how that stayed even after a lot of resistance to it, but it persists because, you know, it's really very practical to add menu QR codes to their to their restaurants, even after the pandemic. And so with that, how do you think of QR codes evolved post COVID? QR codes are here to stay, I think COVID was the moment where the market adaptation really became a thing, right? QR codes were used before COVID, let's be clear. They always have been used since their invention, but noting that in that mouth. So let's for me, COVID was the moment of market adaptation where everybody started to realize this is a QR code. That's what it can do. That's how beneficial it is for me and, you know, started to explore what else it can do, right? And this, I think, is the most important thing that we need to take away from COVID. COVID was that moment of market adaptation. Like you mentioned, digital menus, it's also where we made menu tiger, right? People can scan a menu on a table, interact with it, order with it, even pay with it, anything brought to the table. So, yeah, for me, COVID is the moment where everything became a little bit bigger, you know, scale started to start. And that's, that's a thing that definitely we can thank to COVID. If you need to say something positive about COVID, then it might be that. Yeah, exactly. And as you mentioned before, QR codes are really big on adding that digital imprint on offline ads and even offline functionalities. So, people are able to track the scans of their QR code behind offline ads. So, that's very important, I think, and people are more people are adapting to that now in 2023. So, even offline ads can be trapped now, thanks to QR codes. And so, where do you think your codes are headed this 2023? Because last year, we've seen this token videos of the uses of QR codes in China where they have very strict COVID tracking, of course, but in the West and for most of the world, Ben, it's mainly used as a marketing tool and even an identity very fire at most. So, where do you think it's headed this year? Well, I'm sure there's going to be a lot of things coming in 2023. So, multi-year-old QR codes, one of the things that we actually made invented in 2018 already, I see many of our customers using that. So, multi-year-old QR code is a QR code where you have one single QR code and people will be directed to a different landing page depending on their location or the IP, right? Or on their language, over on other different parameters. So, this is something that I see more and more customers start to realize that QR codes can be used to tailor their marketing, right? They're tailor their information, landing pages as well. Yeah, QR codes can also be used straight to a landing page with this kind of age five editor, right? It's also an important one where people can straight away make a landing page that don't need a website anymore to make this kind of thing. And I think another important one is AI, right? That is definitely the new thing that is everybody's talking about. And I think there's later a question about it, how AI will become important in 2023 and how will it become part of different ecosystems? And Ben, so you mentioned multi-year-old QR codes for businesses, but can you delve deeper into multi-year-old QR codes with cross-border e-commerce for other businesses out there that need to know that and how to apply it better for their business? So, multi-year-old QR codes are QR codes that can be used mostly. I mean, that's one of the great features is, for example, for cross-border e-commerce, why? Because people in different countries speak different languages, and they might go to a different page in that language that will be local to wherever they are. And that I think is one of the main reasons people love to be attached to your brand, but if that it's in a language that they don't speak, then that, of course, is a problem. For example, I go to a retail store and there is not too many people in front of the store because it's a down hour, right? And you scan a QR code and you get 20% off in that down hour, but when it's a rush hour, when there's a lot of people in front of that store, people scan and they only get 5% discount. So, it's a way to pull people in your store on different times of the day and engage them more depending on what time of the day they are passing by. So, multi-year-old QR codes can be used in a smart way, and this can be all set up within our software where people will get different things depending on different needs and, like I say, or a retail can be used in that e-commerce can be dealt across board e-commerce in many different ways, right? It can be used. Yes, in restaurants as well. So, they can definitely set different menus at different times of the day. And also, like you mentioned, it's not multi-year-old QR codes and not just limited for languages, they're also, it could be from time as well and different promos in different countries. So, that's the possibility of that as well. And with that, Ben, do you think that, will QR codes be more popular this year? Do you think people will ever get sick of them? Or is that even like a bad question? I think QR codes have not been quite embedded in the society, so people use them for different reasons, collecting to the Wi-Fi, scanning a menu, getting more information. I think they prove their usefulness and I only believe a technology that survives in today's day is because it's useful. If it's not useful, it will not survive. So, I'm sure there will be some people that don't like the fact that they now need to scan a QR code for some things, but I think it's so versatile in use cases, QR codes on a business card. Like I said, the multi-year-old QR codes for opening a PDF, listening to an audio guide. So, all these use cases are actually useful and I don't believe people get sick of it because it helps you make sure life easier. So, in that way, I do believe QR codes will keep being successful for all pretty long time. I believe that too. And of course, as with any technology, there will always be those outliers that will always just be resistant to it. And QR codes are not an exception to that. And so because of this, Ben, what do you think are the best and worst uses of a QR code that you've seen so far? And what can marketers do to apply and avoid them most importantly? So the best and the worst cases all lay within the same space that means how you're going to position that QR code where you're going to use it, is it is it clearly visible? Do is it not made in light colors that, for example, light yellow when you scan it that it's not actually scanning goods? Is it made with a call for action that people can read that you know when you scan it that you need to see a video? If it's really right placed on the product, not on the side on the corner of a product, but actually on the top where people open it, so there is actually straight away. And the visibility of that QR code, these kind of things are the most important elements when you make a QR code. Also, of course, if you read design a little bit that QR code, it feels more like something related to marketing than it's just a black, white, square QR code where people think it might be just a logistic thing. So these kind of elements make a QR code more attractive, more interesting for people to connect with. And in the end of the day, like I said, the better that your QR code is visible, scanable, you know, attractive, the more scans you will get, right? Call for action, these things will all play within that and that's of course very important for marketers to put those things in mind when they actually using QR codes. Don't think that you just need to add a QR code on something and it will be successful. No, I sometimes even say to marketers, your QR code might be more important than your brand logo, right? I mean, on the product, because that's what you want people to engage with, right? Definitely. That's the QR codes are the gateway to your sales funnel, for sure, even offline as well. And so one of the worst things that I've seen so far is that which can be totally avoided is that for ads, for example, on screens, for some marketers don't even check the screen where the QR code are going to be showing. So some screens are split in half, so their QR codes are not even scanable anymore. So this can be totally avoided if you just test it, especially with a location of the product or the ads. So marketers just just remember that always test the product, not just the QR codes. I mean, always test the location of where you're posting your QR codes as well. You'd think it's very common sense, but some people still do that and our research from previous podcasts were actually, it's really bad. So just keep that in mind. And of course, when some time in 2022, there was a buzz over social media about QR codes running out. It's just all over the place. And I think it pays to ask you again and to set things straight. Do you think that QR codes are going to run out this 2023? So this kind of a myth that QR code is going to run out. I mean, that's the same question as asking will domain names run out? You could say yes, because the main names exist of an alphabet 26 letters and numbers and maybe some special number special characters. Right. As long as you can make combinations and the domain names, I don't see the QR codes running out instantly, right? And another big mistake that people make is QR code works in two ways. There is a device, which is a receiver, which is a smartphone, for example. And there is a QR code. If that receiver will connect a special number to a certain database, then that has nothing to do with another person that scans that is not connecting to that database with this application on that smartphone is seeing that number 535391 is connecting to that. To that element within their database, then this is really specific. So, QR codes are not a standalone thing. It is something that communicates between two devices, the character itself and the device. Yeah, really important. So no, will garbage run out? It's a myth. It's something to, you know, people of the two releases kind of bus to, you know, to say something. But in the end of the day, if you really look a bit deeper and understand the matter, then you know that this is just, you know, not not so really helpful for for anybody. Yeah, that's true. But you know how it is with the online world, the more alarming a headline is, the more people like click and react to it. So that's just basically what marketers also need to understand QR codes will not run out ever. And especially the starting 23, there are just so many things that you could do with it. And so with that, Ben, I want to ask as well. So since you're the QR code expert here, I want to ask, I want to know what's the most futuristic use of a QR code that you have ever seen today. So definitely AR that's where QR codes become important, where you actually scan and then you see, you know, something a little bit showing out of that, that I did, that's it. In fact, yesterday, it was pretty fun. I mean, it exists for some time, but it at least shows something that a QR code can be, you know, an inter engagement between an AR and maybe now with Apple coming out with our glasses, there might be something more happening within that space. Let's see AR has been struggling for quite a bit of time, but maybe Apple does it right this time, let's see. Smart cities, definitely, you know, QR code and infrastructure that I think it's really interesting to see that is futuristic, how everything becomes Internet of things, how everything start to, you know, be able, where you connect, can connect with something true QR code, you know, so all those gates that suddenly become in smart cities that I found pretty futuristic. We're also, and that I think is also anywhere, you can trigger something so you scan a QR code and a vehicle will start or you scan a QR code and it turns the lights right or it opens the door. So this kind of things I think is pretty futuristic as well. Carcote is not just something where you connect to something, but it also can trigger an action and that I think is also interesting. Medical use, for example, or pharmaceutical boxes, people scan a QR code, they can understand a little bit more so it's it's start to get more and more purposes in different ways. And that I think is interesting to see how QR codes are more than become a tool right not just a way to connect to some information and that I think is something that I found pretty futuristic as well. Yeah, it's actually very fascinating because also in Europe there will be just scooters lying around and you download their app and then you use it by scanning the QR code and then off you go with that scooter as well. So it's very fascinating how these QR codes have facilitated as has been facilitated as tools for different kinds of industries. So with that, we talked about the featureistic uses of QR codes, but let's go back to the basics, Ben. How do you think for starters for marketing marketers that are only starting out? How can they start using QR code based marketing for their organization or business? So the most important thing and that's I think a common mistake that I see is when you start to use and implement QR codes, you need to make a marketing plan around it. You have a strategy around it, you don't just need to say, hey, now we're going to just add QR codes on something and we're going to believe it's going to be successful. That's how most people think, no, you really need to say, okay, we want to use QR codes where we're going to use them, how we're going to use it, what are the results we want to get out of them. And such kind of things make that your QR code is going to be successful. It's not just something where you need, if you drive vehicles around in the city, then maybe that vehicle might have a QR code because people can connect to your business in that way. So you need to ask yourself what kind of business I am, what are the needs I have for lead generation is to show information and in this way, you can actually make a plan around it doesn't need to be a complex plan, but just understanding a little bit what you do, why you do it and what are the goals, what are the metrics. This makes that your QR code use for your any business will be successful. If you don't do that on that level, then of course, you're just going to add a QR code and maybe your first experience will say this doesn't work. Well, why isn't it doesn't work, right? That's the questions that you need to ask yourself. What do we do wrong here? Why is it so successful for so many business out there? What happened? We don't correct, right? There's a lot of information about it. Also on our blog, right, of use cases, how to use it correctly. We also made a lot of videos on YouTube. If you do YouTube channels, learn with QR Tagger, talk about all these kinds of use cases, how you can implement them for different industries. It's also like I say, doing a little bit of research as well makes that you can actually use QR codes more successful. Yeah, that's true because it's with everything else. If you don't plan it properly, then it's just a waste of a project, right? Of course with QR codes, some people or marketers just get turned off because they don't see the results, but it's actually kind of sad because they're missing out on the low cost and effective use of QR codes if only if they plan it right. Especially for offline ads, they will be able to add a digital tool with that with QR codes, only if they add compelling ad copy or text in there and to get more people to scan their code, to get people to be more curious and to get out their phones and to scan it. One of the best things that you could use a QR code for starters, and of course, there are still businesses that are hesitant in using QR codes, Ben, because they're here about something about scams or bad links. What can you tell about their negative perceptions on QR codes? No, technology is neutral, right? Technologies can be used for positive things and technologies can be used for negative things that also will be with AI. AI will be, for example, good for many things, but also bad for other things, right? So it all depends how you apply this technology and how you make benefit from it, right? So saying that email is only goods, well, I get a lot of spam emails every day. Do I ask for them? No, but you know, this is still part of the email industry. email is a bad thing is that a software that I shouldn't use? No of course not email is great if you use it in the right way yeah so it's all it all comes to that right I mean there was always pros and cons to everything there was nothing that is just neutral and it is only or only good or only bad that doesn't exist in this world so I do believe that's the same for QR codes. Yeah but the more you read about it and stay updated the more that you're able to trust a technology everything has its downsides but if you stay equipped with knowledge the proper knowledge then you can make it right especially with QR codes which is just very versatile and so it's been proven that QR codes have helped make processes easier and quicker like for example in the healthcare industry Ben when checking for a person's vaccination status you can just scan a QR code or in schools where employees and students have individual QR codes already when coming in and out of the school so do you think people will be more open to using QR codes in their day-to-day life this year not just in big organizations but like just the small things even like Wi-Fi QR code at home but yeah like you mentioned Wi-Fi QR code is one of those great things you know people come in your home they ask what's the Wi-Fi they just say here scan at QR code scan don't write I mean you're on the Wi-Fi it doesn't cost anything and it's easy to use it's a QR code you can generate for free so that's a great application so in your home I think that's always as well of course if people make a portal for you or something like that for their you know for together job or something like that to put a portal on that port if they send something that there's also QR codes so people can scan it have it on their mobile down at the pdf of it so there's many ways that people can actually use QR codes for personally users also for example for their hobbies or anything that they want to promote or or share with other people I think QR codes are an ideal medium for that yeah yeah and one example I can think of Ben is if you're a student like taking a PhD or something and you want to organize all your files or your study files then you can take a backup of these QR codes on your folders and just in case you miss anything there a paper or anything then you can just scan the code and obtain the file that you left probably at home and then you can just reprint it anywhere you are so that's one of the best use cases that I can think of for individual use as well not just for businesses and for day to day use and so now that we're in 2023 let's finally set this straight why do people compare QR codes to NFCs and how are they different? So NFCs and QR codes are different things they sometimes serve the same purpose think about it if you need to make 10,000 flyers will you put an NFC on every flyer no that doesn't make sense you're just going to print the QR code because that makes 10 times more sense and it will be way more cheaper but on some purposes an NFC might again have a benefit as well so it depends a little bit of the use case and sometimes you can actually you know use NFC and QR codes for the same thing together for example you can have a bracelet where people where you go you pay with that bracelet but if you want to know how much money is on their bracelet you scan it and you can see how much money is still left for example if you use that in a festival or an event so NFCs and QR codes don't replace each other they are or in the same space and can work together or they serve different purposes right that's I think very important to understand so I don't see when people say NFC will be the replacement of QR codes I say no that wouldn't be happening neither will be QR codes or placement of NFC they have different different benefits and based on this benefits people use them right yes the way I see it they're both sent alone and they can also exist in the same ecosystem so one can benefit the other and regarding on the topic of something that's emerging let's talk about Web 3 Ben and what do you think will be the role of QR codes for Web 3 right so Web 3 is mostly decentralized Web right that's what it's about so the first thing that I think is important to understand is that QR codes can be a bridge between a centralized and a decentralized Web that's one way that I think it can be used but also of course QR codes in the decentralized Web can be an access point for example to decentralized application D apps right can be an access point for marketplaces QR codes can be an access point for digital wallets QR codes can be an access post access point to identify somebody or you know personal data QR codes can be a way to scan and interact with something so again QR codes choose in any kind of thing that that I'm actually mentioning in general are the access point are the you know this can be the starting point and that's I think what QR codes are actually are they are this kind of bridge between is offline to online and for that reason or even when you're on the website you can still scan and still see something on it so it can also be a bridge between different media between the desktop and a smartphone so that's what I think QR codes can play a role with in Web 3 yeah being that bridge being the access point all right I I think I get it now especially that it's still like a normal use of QR codes only the operator operative terms decentralized so then more people have people have more options and what to use in on the internet when they use with a scan of QR code so they have now more options with that and also chat GPT has made a lot of noise lately and we're using that in the company as well with different like smart uses as well so how do you think AI will play a part in the usage of QR codes and vice versa AI is changing the world as we speak right I mean chat GP is now one of those real applications that really maze a little bus I mean there was a lot of great AI applications already out there right so let's let's be clear chat GP's not the only thing that is out there that uses AI you have also stock AI where you can find stock images there's a lot of kind of great applications out there already being built some of them use the API of chat GP or have their own so QR codes will I think where where do I see QR codes become an important role within that space of AI again an access point to do something like a chatbot something to talk to that's the first way a way to analyze data right because people have all this QR code data when they scan how to now come to a comprehensive understanding of that data right AI can help in that I see there an opportunity as well and then of course when people scan we have these multi-year-old QR codes when people scan that they actually will be directed to different pages based on an AI this maybe also be as possible as well where QR codes you know help to make smart decisions based on third that different parameters you theoretically don't need an AI for that but you know AI can play a role in that right so QR codes again will play in this thing an access point or you know in the data processing I think that will be the most significant ways where AI can be helpful for in the QR code space yeah again AI is kind of a little bit scary but you know I think it's it's going on right now it's happening and you know I think people need to look at it and make the best thought of it and take the benefit out of it right I think that's the only thing that we can do this is something that's going on cannot stop it anymore right but generative AI leads to me pretty safe which actually a tool yeah it makes people's life easier better at hope and it will definitely change yeah it's this kind of big point in history like the invention of the television the invention of the internet the invention of AI now is where we are and it will change again everything that we do to a different form this will take of course maybe five years 10 years yeah it's not going to change everything tomorrow but we could already see the impact of such a GP on many you know digital things that are happening right you can write text with it you can ask it's really you can research with it you know so these kind of things will keep happening within 2023 and it's exciting because coming from a world where there's COVID intentions and economies that's really are not doing good right because that's between what is happening on stock market and the reality of people that's still a different thing but you know the bad news is all that the economy is not doing good and then we have something exciting as AI happening and that I'm pretty happy for because that you know hopefully brings a world a bit back together and we can do something cool with this and it will make you know new industries give people new different type of jobs such kind of things right or yeah change things let's see what it brings yeah I'm very curious to see and I do believe chocolate will play an important role in it yeah yeah I'm very curious about it too and like you I'm also very excited because I'm not really that scared because it's always like that with emerging technologies like even the internet before people would say the internet is evil and of course it has its bad side but of course it's it's had way more really good things to happen in the world and it's really how people use it so of course and chat GPT will totally and AI will totally helps people to think outside of the box so I think that's a good challenge for us we have to be better than it we have to be we are challenged to be smarter than it so and to write along the AI wave so I think that's a good challenge for us as human beings to not be to not let AI be smarter than us so that's that's one thing that I can think but yeah yeah I will be smarter than us in many ways but I think it still comes to outsmart the AI somehow by using it in the right way I mean that's that's what it's all about right understanding what is a potential and using it for you know the good of human being that I think is the most important and that definitely will happen right it probably can do a lot of good things cure diseases you know such kind of things you know maybe the event of research go quicker I think that's that's creating and that these things can actually happen and that we are living in this space where it's happening right that I think is interesting. Yeah, it's an interesting time to be alive definitely and of course circling back to what you said earlier about your codes being around for 30 years already and you know how when something comes up there are certain faces that it goes through like the emergence and then the peak and then it slowly comes down and sometimes even diminishes so at which point do you think your codes are right now has it reached it speak do you think or has it been used it's full potential? What do you think? No, I think it's still a growing market. I do believe QR codes definitely reach a certain moment or momentum that for sure. Yeah, but I still believe there's many businesses out there that still don't use QR codes that still are new to this into this space. I think it now went to you know to the earlier dotter space that has been done. We are now in you know entering the big mass of people who want to use QR codes. But still I think it's still a growing market I believe. Why? Because there is also new technologies coming out and they might need QR codes for their purposes. These also will you know keep QR codes relevant for a longer term, right? I mean I think that's that's something that yeah that I do believe QR codes are not only to speak it. No. That's true. There's still a lot of businesses that could that haven't made full use of QR codes and that's what we do here. That's how we can reach to people and educate them on the best use cases of QR code. So we need to reach more of those people and help them, you know, make full use of it. And so thanks for your expertise Ben. So that's it for now and you heard it guys from our QR code expert and if you have any questions and how we can help you improve your QR code campaigns for here to help you out. Just leave some comments or your questions in the comments down below and we'll get to it on the next episode. So thank you Ben. Thank you guys. Thank you for yourself. Yeah. All right. See you. Bye. Bye. 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