QR Codes: Digital genius or outdated?
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Posted By Grace
QR codes are popping up everywhere. From estate agents offering virtual tours of properties to magazine recruitment adverts seeking tech-savvy applicants. Whilst sceptics doubt the longevity and adoption of these little squares, some brands are using QR codes very cleverly indeed.
If you haven’t seen Tesco’s subway shop made up entirely of QR codes in South Korea, check out the video below.
Making the most of a captive audience of commuters waiting for the next train, Tesco invited passers-by to shop the store by scanning the code of the virtual shelf. Combining convenience with intuitive technology, items were added straight to the customers’ shopping bag and delivered to their home.
The Tesco campaign is a prime example of QR codes being used effectively. QR codes however are not a new phenomenon, where before a specialised reader was needed to scan the code, now the proliferation of smartphones have raised both accessibility and innovation for purpose, changing the way we interact with the additional content the QR code provides.
Likened to the symbols left on the side of buildings by homeless US migrant workers, QR codes have the potential to act as a key to unlock contents of a building. These travellers would use symbols as a secret visual language to communicate with others in the know. Fast forward 100 years and QR codes do the same for a digital generation.
Professor Golan Levin from Carnegie Mellon University has developed a piece of software and a range of over 100 messages to stencil QR codes on the sides of buildings and pavements around town. From service related messages; ‘25 minute wait’, ‘free wi-fi’ to sneaky tips and insider knowledge; ‘contraception available’, ‘unexpectedly good coffee’ and ‘dishonest scalpers here’, Levin’s concept is simple, deftly connecting the past with the now. Having previously been used for selling products, Levin liked the idea of repurposing the pixelated pics for social and community use. So I guess the question facing us now is how do you see the QR code evolving?