If you live in the U.S. you may have begun to notice some unusual-looking square boxes appearing in print publications and advertisements. These 2D matrix barcodes are called QR Codes, or Quick Response Codes.
QR Codes are similar to the standard bar codes that currently appear on all types of consumer products, except QR codes can contain much more information than traditional barcodes. QR Codes have been widely used in Japan and Europe in recent years, but are only now starting to gain use with marketers in the United States. Major U.S. businesses that have begun using QR codes in advertising and promotions include Best Buy, Ralph Lauren and Pepsi.
You can think of a QR code as a paper-based hyperlink that connects the physical world with the online world. For marketers, QR codes allow advertisements, brochures, posters - even clothing or billboards – to direct users to mobile landing pages that contain much more information and interactivity than can be afforded on the printed page. This integration between print and web via mobile adds a new dimension of communication to any marketing or outreach effort.