QR Code, at the most basic level, can be defined as a barcodes on steroids that is readable by smartphones. Such codes are employed to encode information in 2-D space, very much like magazine pages, advertisements on TV and websites. In the beginning they were used to track auto parts. However, now they have become very popular for other commercial purposes as well because a regular barcode encodes data only in the horizontal plane, whereas QR codes encode data both in horizontal and vertical plane in a grid of tiny squares which mean they are capable of storing much more data. The real gem is that a QR Code connects users to online content. This means that a brand’s journey doesn’t have to end with its packaging or text. A customer can now enjoy the added bonus of interacting with items previously impossible to connect with.
They can be seen everywhere nowadays; fine art exhibitions, city building permits , wrapping papers, product packaging and almost every kind of marketing campaign. They can embed information like product information, video, music and digital messages. which when read with the proper QR Code Reader can be used to launch a website or download a file directly onto your mobile phone. Another added benefit is that QR codes can be read from any angle, unlike barcodes that need to be properly aligned, and are specifically designed to provide easy and fast linkage to content on your smartphones e.g. magazine advertisements that provide link to their websites etc. These codes can also be used to serve much more complex purposes like digital business card for sharing LinkedIn accounts and contact info.
Fourteen million mobile users scanned a QR code using their mobile in 2011
comScore, Inc., a leader in research of the digital world, has recently published results of a study that was conducted on mobile QR code scanning. The study revealed that in June 2011 almost fourteen million mobile users in the United States, which account for almost 6.2 percent of the total mobile audience in the world, scanned a code using their mobile devices. Furthermore, the study reports that a mobile user that scanned a code using a mobile during this month was more likely to be male [60.5 percent], between the age group of 18 and 34 [53.4 percent], and has a household income of around $100,000 or above [36.1 percent]. This study was also aimed at analyzing the source and location of code scanning; where major sources include newspapers/magazines and product packaging and major locations include home or in store.
Detailed Demographic Profile Of A QR Code User
QR Code Scanning by Gender
In order to drive a more detailed demographic profile of the code users, we need a more comprehensive analysis of the study conducted on code scanning in the month of June 2011. The study reveals that in a total code audience of 14 452 000 people ( 13+ years old):
- male population was 8 743 000 60.5% of the total. With an index of 125, men were 25 percent more likely than the average mobile user to scan QR codes.
- female population of this audience was recorded as 5 709 000, which equals to 39.5 percent with an index of 76.
QR Code Scanning by Age
- 1 76 000 people of 7.4% – 13- 17 years:
- 2 402 000 or 16.6% – 18 and 24
- 5 317 000 or 36.8 percent – 25 to 34 years
- 2 827 000 or 19.6% – 35 and 44 years
- 1 798 000 or 12.4% – 45 and 54
- 594 000 4.1% 55 and 64
- 437 000 3% 65+
QR Code Scanning by $ Income
- 8.3% less than 25k
- 18% have income between 25k and 50k
- 19.1% have income between 50k and 75k
- 18.6 have income between 75k and 100k
- 36.1 percent that is 5 217 000 people, have an income of 100k+
- 50% of scanned QR Codes takes place in magazines and newspapers and 35% from product packaging
WHAT do People Scan ?
The study also analyzes the source and location of these code scans, which gives us a deeper insight into how consumers generally interact with this marketing tool.
- The most popular source of a scanned QR code are magazines and newspapers, which account for 50% of the total QR code scanning sources
- Product packaging was the source for 35.3% of the audience
- 27.4 percent scanned a code from a website on a PC
- 23.5 percent scanned codes from a poster or flyer or kiosk.
- Some other sources include; business cards and brochures for 13.4 percent, storefront for 12.8 percent and TV for 11.7 percent
WHERE do People Scan?
Demographics for the location of these QR code scans reveal that among mobile users:
- 58.0% scanned a code in June 2011 from their home
- 39.4% did so from a retail store
- 24.5% from a supermarket
- 19.7 percent at work
- 12.6 percent from outside or on public transit
- 7.6 percent did so in a restaurant
Interestingly, the journey for many products have taken a sharp turn as this exciting technology has provided brands with the opportunity to go beyond the actual packaging or printed word and take the consumer to other areas or content which extends the product or service further. For more details about using Dynamic QR Codes, Codes you control, why not see these interesting posts:
Interactive Marketing: can Dynamic QR Codes Give You a Return on Investment?
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