Printers Push Use Of QR Codes
Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
Montreal-based Pazazz, one of Canada’s best known and most advanced printing firms and a leader in customer-focused print innovation, is promoting the use of Quick Response Codes, launching its ability to print the QR codes as its newest marketing tool.
QR Codes are most widely used in Japan, Korea and Taiwan, but seem to be gaining more traction now in North American and parts of Europe.
“Everything is integration with the digital world,” says Lori Cohen, marketing director, Pazazz. “We want to be right there with our customers’ needs, whether it be printing coupons from their mobile phones to driving customers one-to-one to their own video or online catalogue or a mobile promotion.”
QR Codes are 2D barcodes that have an identifier or a ‘symbology’ associated with them and are being used on both static and moving posters and digital screens. When scanned by mobile phone cameras or webcams QR Codes have a link that provide an interactive tool to instantly drive customers and prospects to a website, an on-line catalogue, a video, a personalized promotion, an invitation or to a branded message. Pazazz, which was one of the earliest companies to add digital printers, can print the QR codes in black-and-white or colour to blend into creative, and can include images into the QR code itself.
Warren Werbitt, Pazazz founder and CEO, says, “The QR Code is the tool that makes Cross Media Integration a reality for any size organization. It’s the way to move people quickly and easily from the printed world to the digital world. It’s about engaging customers and prospects in social media interaction. QR Codes are a creative way to quickly buy something, view information, or instantly receive a coupon for a product or service.”
The uses for QR Codes are limitless. They can be printed on any material including paper, plastic, board, posters, labels or packaging – and remember we have seen the whole side of a building as a QR Code as well, Ed see ‘All Billboards Should Have QR Codes‘ here
“As long as the poster or other item is static for a few seconds to be read by a Smart Phone, we can put a QR code on it,” says Cohen.
Pazazz recently sent the first of four planned direct mail pieces with a QR code to 1,000 companies and is getting positive responses.
Pazazz is one of just 370 companies worldwide to achieve G7 Master Print certification. The company’s ‘claim to fame’ is its viral video Printing’s alive, which has been viewed by more than 200,000 people on Youtube and was inducted into MarketingSherpa‘s Viral Hall of Fame. Webitt himself was named Printer of the Year in 2008 by Graphic Monthly Canada.
March 21st, 2010 at 20:14 @885
We are using QR codes to uniquely identify DS players so they can be added to the user account with the Android app. It allows us to deploy quickly a large number of players without a need to attach keyboard or mouse. Check it out here http://player.screenbullet.com .
March 22nd, 2010 at 13:28 @603
@Przemyslaw : Pretty slick idea to facilitate DS player deployment. Thumbs up !
April 4th, 2010 at 07:11 @341
@PhilGo20: We are just getting started ;-).