Mobile 2D Barcodes + Print = Strong Combination
http://tag.microsoft.com/community/tag-blog-item/10-11-17/New_Nellymoser_Study.aspx?ReturnURL=/community/community-home.aspx
The above study was done by MS Tag/QR agency Nelly Moser, seems to be objective, and it
conveys interesting data on the actual use of barcodes/tags. Some
unbiased industry news:
http://www.labelingnews.com/2010/11/2d-barcode-wars-microsoft-tag/
Which barcode will win? How do I choose?
Lots of other links are available for basic understanding of
differences. One of the best summaries of differences is on the MS
Tag blog, interestingly.
http://www.microsofttag.info/explanation/Microsoft_Tag_Comparison
The jury is still out from an industry perspective, however.
Print publishing seems to be taking MS Tag to heart and leveraging
it - and Finn Digital likes it for the API and tracking that was
offered "out-of-the-box" for the mobile app we developed
recently.
It's also fair to say that QR codes are "open" and likely to avoid the
monetization that Microsoft will likely attempt to generate out of
Tag, at some point. At the same time, Denso-Wave, a Japanese
company, holds the rights to the QR code. Count on their lawyers
finding something to leverage at some point.
As we're re-developing our mobile app that leverages smartphone barcode
technology, we're going to have it be 'hot-swappable' when it comes
to the type of 2D barcode (QR or Tag).
I believe that QR will be more globally adopted, based on online
conversations in user groups. When you count Microsoft's leverage
and ability to find gap-bridging solutions, MS Tag should
definitely be counted on as a contender.
Fundamentally, each code has application advantages that depend
on the business goal. It's up to you to determine your business
goals and key measurement points, and your barcode solution
provider to help identify the best solution to meet your needs.
Do it if you want to measure your marketing results.
Don't if...well, there's no good reason with a well-structured
marketing plan and implementation strategy. It's a no-brainer.
One final note - as the saying goes, just do it. The landscape
is rapidly changing for available technology. What doesn't change
is a marketing plan and result delivery mechanism that achieve the
return on investment you're looking for. When you choose a solid
partner, you'll have messaging, mechanism and measurable results,
all in the same package.
Please call or email me anytime for a conversation and
demonstration of 2D barcodes - we've deployed for BizTech Expo and
Harley Davidson locally, for smartphone and iPad, and are in
conversations with numerous other companies at the moment.
You can also visit Finn Digital's mobile app
website at http://boothtag.com to
watch a video
about the tradeshow experience we created at BizTech, and
experience MS Tag barcode technology for yourself!