Scan Speed / Quality:  9/10
Positioning of Code:  7/10
Effective use of a QR Code:   5/10
Design / look of Code:   0/5

Delivered to mobile content?  NO, +2 (Site worked on mobile but didn’t perform well).
Scan incentive?  NO, +0
Clear purpose?  NO, +0

Overall Rating:  23/50

Downfall:
Once again we have a code with no real purpose. Thus perpetuating the myth that QR codes are useless. It’s kind of like life – if you don’t create a reason or purpose for your life, it becomes meaningless and really quite depressing.

If you simply build it, they might not come. If you build it with a purpose and incentive… they will.

Improvement Suggestions:
Although we’ve seen some really bad QR code placements on transit shelter ads, this one wasn’t too bad. That being said, it almost risked being cut off by the shelter frame, which would have rendered it completely useless and unscannable.

My suggestions would be:
1. Offer an incentive to scan (or at least tell people why they are scanning)
2. I give a nod to the colorization of the code. But man! This could have been a really sweet, branded QR code!

Code Spotted by: Lawrence
Reader Used: I-Nigma (This is my absolute favorite)

Scan Speed / Quality:  10/10
Positioning of Code:  10/10
Effective use of a QR Code:   0/10 (See my reason below)
Design / look of Code:   0/5

Delivered to mobile content?  Yes and No,  0 points (see my reason below)
Scan incentive?  YES, +5
Clear purpose?  YES, +5

Overall Rating:  30/50

Downfall:
Uhhhhhhg!  I literally cringed out loud when I scanned this and saw where it took me!

Now you know I don’t like to slag people so let me just say this – mobile content should be dead simple.  People should not have to jump through hoops to get what they want.  This code is a proprietary code from Mobio, and – as outlined in one of my previous issues of Code Spotting (read it here)  - they make you jump through hoops AND fire to get anywhere.  I completely lose my interest. While I do think Mobio is doing many great things for the QR code “industry”, I honestly believe that this hoop-jumping is a complete disservice to their clients and the public. For that, I had to score this code with a zero where I could.

Overall, the code scanned very well, it had a solid purpose and was being used the way QR code marketing should! On the upside, I bet the odds of winning this trip were great (since most people wouldn’t make it through the 15 step process).

Improvement Suggestions:
Ummmm… Don’t make me jump through hoops.  And brand it. A little graphic design never hurt anyone.

• View Fusion Creative’s Custom, Branded QR Codes  »
• Reasons why businesses should use QR codes  »
• Learn more about QR codes  »

Below is our top 10 list of things to consider before you begin your branding (or rebranding) journey. These points are in no order of importance – each point is equally significant.

01. Keep Your Customers’ Needs in Mind

Designing an identity should be something that not only represents you and your business, but something that prospective clientele will relate to. For instance – just because you love purple and pink polka dots – doesn’t mean your clients will.

02. Know the Difference Between Your Brand and Your Corporate Identity… and Why They Need Each Other

Your brand is the overall personality, values and morals of your business. It is the flavor, the tone and the feeling. Your corporate identity is the graphical representation of your brand. One should not, or can not, exist without the other.

03. Simply Designing a Logo Does not Create a Brand.

Without a full suite of visuals and written content, a logo by itself is no more than just a sticker. It might work for a short time, but will soon lose its “stickiness”.

04. Invest… Don’t Expense.

Businesses often “cheap out” on branding and logo design, either by enlisting a student, friend, relative or an online bargain basement site to create something. This can end up costing more money down the road and can potentially deliver the wrong message to your prospects, which can be detrimental and ultimately difficult or impossible to reconcile (sometimes, the damage is done… for good).

Branding should be considered as a crucial investment, not a cosmetic or luxury expense. It is an extremely invaluable and important business tool.

05. Listen to the Experts.

Graphic designers, marketing consultants and branding experts have all been highly trained to execute effective designs, strategies and messages. Don’t let your pride and ego get in the way of your dreams.

06. Keep Current.

Still using the same logo from 1982? What was great then can be detrimental now.  Trained branding experts will know how to keep the identity you’ve already established and bring it in to the modern world. We recommend a review of your visual identity and brand assets (eg. brochures, business cards, advertisements, slogans) every 5 years.

07. Keep it Simple and Symbolize

Avoid cramming hoards information in to a small space. A logo, for example, should be a quick reference symbol – recognizable and identifiable at a glance.

08. Be Relevant.

In keeping with point #1, stay on topic. If you’re selling hockey sticks, it would be wise to avoid using kittens and rainbows just because you like them.

09. If You’re Not There to Explain It – Will Customers Get It?

Think of your brand and corporate identity as your spokesperson. Will your message be clear? Will people understand what you are selling without you having to be physically present to explain it?

10. Evoke an Emotional Response

Humans are emotional beings. To really get their attention, you’ve got to pull on their heart strings and egos.  They don’t relate to objects or how awesome you are. They respond to what’s in it for them, and how awesome they can be (from using your product or service, of course). Think of this way: You’re selling hockey sticks.  But you’re not selling hockey sticks.  You’re selling the thrill of the game, the precision and the game-winning slap shot. Flog the feeling. Not the thing.

Check out some of Fusion Creative’s branding projects »

Scan Speed / Quality:  9/10
Positioning of Code:  10/10
Effective use of a QR Code:   10/10
Design / look of Code:   4/5

Delivered to mobile content?  Yes, +5
Scan incentive?  YES, +5
Clear purpose?  YES, +5

Overall Rating:  48/50

Qualities:
Using a QR code in marketing really doesn’t get much better than this.  This is exactly how QR codes should be used!  Take notes everybody and use Silk Road as a prime example in QR code marketing!

Downfall:
No real downfalls, other than the branded code could have been a lot nicer. But really, I’m just nitpicking. I absolutely love Silk Road’s brand, and I would have like to have seen more of it in the code. There’s so much potential there to create something really stunning.

Improvement Suggestions:
Other than the points mentioned above, I would recommend making the code slightly larger. They really shouldn’t be smaller than 1.25″². The smaller size may have contributed to the ever-so-slightly slower scan speed.
I apologize for the low-quality photos – they were taken on my iPhone in a very dimly-lit pub.

• View Fusion Creative’s Custom, Branded QR Codes  »
• Reasons why businesses should use QR codes  »
• Learn more about QR codes  »

Scan Speed / Quality:  10/10
Positioning of Code:  10/10
Effective use of a QR Code:   9/10
Design / look of Code:   5/5 (I’ll explain below)

Delivered to mobile content?  YES, +5
Scan incentive?  NO, +5 (I’ll explain below)
Clear purpose?  NO, +5 (I’ll explain below)

Overall Rating:  49/50

Qualities:
Big Decisions – Big Mystery! Even though this QR code is not branded, the ad surrounding it is so stunning I had to give it a 5/5 on the design scale. To have presented a branded code here would have been overkill.  I also gave it a 5/5 for scan purpose and incentive because I think that this lack of clear purpose is adding to the mystery of it. Simple and brilliant.

Here are Lawrence’s comments:

“Well done! Bold, big in -your-face and engaging copy – makes you curious. Uses hot button words – simple – clean – hot colour and great placement of the code at eye level.  This certainly is not an afterthought stuck on existing creative like a postage stamp (small and jammed into the bottom because the designer doesn’t want it mess with the creative). The QR is the strategy and the designer are clearly in the loop with what the agency marking plan is.”

Downfall:
None to report.

Improvement Suggestions:
None to report.

• View Fusion Creative’s Custom, Branded QR Codes  »
• Reasons why businesses should use QR codes  »
• Learn more about QR codes  »

Scan Speed / Quality:  10/10
Positioning of Code:  10/10
Effective use of a QR Code:   9/10
Design / look of Code:   0/5

Delivered to mobile content?  YES, +5
Scan incentive?  NO, +0
Clear purpose?  YES, +5

Overall Rating:  39/50

Downfall:
No significant downfalls here… Kudos on this one!  This is a very rare sighting indeed… a QR code that can be scanned from the car or from across the street.  I felt bad leaving a 9/10 on the positioning.  The only thing that could have made the positioning score better would have been to include a small close-up size for pedestrians (just so they don’t have to cross the road).  Lazy right?

Improvement Suggestions:
It does’t get too much better than this. The only possible way this QR code usage could have been any better would have been to offer more of an incentive to scan.  Of course, it could have been customized and branded, too.

• View Fusion Creative’s Custom, Branded QR Codes  »
• Reasons why businesses should use QR codes  »
• Learn more about QR codes  »

Why is this undertaking proving to be so daunting?  One challenge may be that I just don’t know how or where to talk to people (really – have you met me?!).  Second – people are largely impatient (especially web users) and they just don’t want to spend the time to really learn the facts.  Considering I spend most of my time communicating online, I might be simply be spreading the message and delivering the information in a manner that doesn’t work for my particular readers.

So without taking too much of your time, here is my solution.  As a designer, I really dislike bullet points.  As a reader – I love bullet points… because… as an artist, I’d rather be looking at pretty pictures than reading long pieces of text.  Ha! Still following? It’s a love-hate thing.

I recently read an article (online of course) written by Travis Robertson (@travisro on Twitter) that covered many of the points I have been striving to make. Since he’s already been so thorough, I’m going to make some bullet points for you from Travis’s article, as well as from my own knowlege base. Quick access to the facts delivered to you in layman’s terms.  You don’t need to understand terms like “Integrated Marketing”, “Mobile Strategies” or “Quantifiable and Measurable Data”. Yuck.

Here Are Some Quick Facts and Tips:

♦ Don’t send me to your website home page with a QR code. Give me an incentive to scan!   Travis offered up his top 7 ideas for QR code usage.  He says “You’re Welcome”  Read his article here »

♦ QR codes should be used to help your drive sales (not point people to your website for no reason other than to point people to your website – yawn).

♦ Local businesses aren’t using QR codes… Yet a recent study shows that over 40% of large companies plan to deploy mobile campaigns (campaigns geared toward smartphones and other mobile platforms) in 2012.

♦ Track the effectiveness of your print-based advertising by using QR codes.  Each scan of your code(s) will provide you with valuable insights, such as where it was scanned, how many times and how deep the person went in to the scan. It’s like having SEO for your print ads. Yippeeee!

♦ To reiterate the point above: No more wasting advertising budgets on ineffective ad placement! QR codes take the guess work out tell you which ads aren’t working.

♦ Don’t be such a mystery – let people know why or what they are about to scan.

♦ QR codes can be redirected on the fly.  Print it once, redirect it whenever you have new content. Go ahead – print those 20,000 brochures that are on sale.

♦ They don’t have to be ugly and black and white. Look in to getting a branded code.  It’s almost like having a logo that people can scan.  Think about it – a logo that can actually help drive your sales and give you brand recognition.

♦ QR codes should point to mobile-optimized content. You want people to walk away with your content in their hands… with out having to zoom in to see it or fuss with compatibility issues.

QR Code FAQs

What’s a QR Code?
A QR code (short for Quick Response code) is a two-dimensional code (aka, those little black and white square thingies you keep seeing everywhere).  They were first designed for the automotive industry to track auto parts during the manufacturing of vehicles. They are now used over a much wider range of applications including commercial tracking, entertainment and transport ticketing, marketing and in-store product labelling. Read more on Wikipedia »

Aren’t QR codes free?
Yes, anyone can go online and create a QR code for free.  There are literally hundreds of free QR code generators out there. What it will lack, however, is a meaningful and engaging purpose.

Can I get a virus or something from scanning a QR code?
No.  You get a virus by opening the wrong type of content.  The code itself does not contain a virus. If you’re worried, just be cautious of what you are scanning and make sure it is presented by a reputable or trusted source.

No one is using them. Why do I need one?
Perhaps no one locally is using them because they don’t know the true benefits… yet.  Get on it before they do and you’ll be ahead of the game.  Large corporations are using them in their marketing – globally.

I want a branded code, can I change the design later myself?
Not recommended. To do so would require a thorough knowledge of the active areas in a code, as well as graphic expertise.

Can you turn my logo in to a QR code?
In short – no. A QR code can be branded and stylized, but there is no button anyone can press to simply turn a logo into a scannable code.

What Do You Think?

In closing, I invite anyone reading to contribute to this conversation.  Ask me questions, offer information that might be missing.  Educate me on something I might not know. Last but not least – share this with your friends, colleagues and business owners to help spread the word on this widely misunderstood, misused and underrated technology! (There is a comment box at the bottom of this page).

Things You Will Find Interesting:

• Travis Robertson’s Article on Why Local Businesses Should Use QR Codes »

• Want a branded QR code for Christmas? Find out how you could win one during the month of Dec 2011 »

• Read my Code Spotting blog for a review of local QR codes »

• Fusion Creative’s portfolio of branded QR codes »

We’ve still got room on our tree for 12, very special QRistmas ornaments, one of them could be yours! Starting December 10th, we’re giving away 12, custom designed, branded QR codes.

Absolutely FREE!

There are two ways to win!

1. Post this Tweet in your Twitter feed:
“All I want for #QRistmas is a #QRCode from @fusioncre8tive and @harbourcityseo”

2. Like Us on Facebook and tag us on your status update:
“All I want for QRistmas is a branded QRCode from @fusioncreative and @harbourcityseo”

Enter now, enter often, and your QR Code could be hanging on our tree this season.

Our first giveaway is December 10th. Good luck, and Happy Holidays from Harbour City SEO and Fusion Creative!

Need to know what a branded QR code looks like? Click here to see some total awesomeness!

Watch this.

Think again.

In a strange turn of events, I now have digital technology to thank for making beautiful, high-end printing more affordable. Now – it’s time to bring it back! Here are my top 6 (and most common) printing effects. I always say that a great brand starts with a great design. A great design can be even better with the right print finish.

RE-INTRODUCING THE ART OF PRINT

1. EDGE PAINTING (also called edge printing)

Yes, they actually paint the edge of the card. This requires a slightly thicker stock, but if you’re going for that extra splash of class it’s definitely worth it. Add edge painting to business cards, invitations or post cards.

2. LETTERPRESS.

Also known as “embossing” and “debossing”. Typically, a metal die is created using the shape you request which is then imprinted on to paper, leather or vinyl. Embossing depresses the material, while debossing raises the design area.

3. METALLIC FOILS.

Not to be confused with metallic ink, foils are created using and actual metallic foil which is heat-transferred on to the design area. Foils come in a variety of pre-made colors and shades.

4. SPOT UV

. Also called a “spot gloss” adds an area of high gloss to the design. Much different from glossy paper, spot UV’s are more of a lamination effect. A spot UV can be placed over any color, or even in the absence of color for a ghosted effect.

5. UNIQUE PAPER STOCKS.

Many different print houses have their own lines and names for various, more unique paper stocks. You can find silky, smooth, almost suede-like textures. Rough, rustic, recycled-style papers. Plastics can come opaque or transparent (they look great with foils). Thinly “sliced” wood textures. Metal. You name it! You no longer have to settle for plain ole boring paper!

6.CUSTOM DIE CUTS.

Want to add a unique shape to your business card? Maybe you want to some extra flair to your brochure. Well a custom die cut is definitely a great way to do that. I’ll let these examples speak for themselves.

Here are a few examples of each:
* These are examples only. Fusion Creative is a branding agency, we do not offer print services. The following samples have been sourced from various printers we frequent and have not necessarily been designed by us. See below for sources*

Are you ready to give yourself something more unique? Contact me so we can get you started!

Sources:

• Taste of Ink 
• Blush Publishing
• Oh So Beautiful Paper