When the marketers latched onto the potential of the mobile channel for communication purposes blue-sky ideas were plentiful. The concept of targeted mobile communications, contextual advertising and location-based messaging were glittering flames of desire hypnotising many a marketing department.
The flames of contextual advertising opportunities (e.g. sending a text message to a mobile phone within a clothes store highlighting the in-store offers) glittered and died. The systems were available, however, consumer fear of the invasion of their privacy took over, driving opt-in guidelines. Location-based messaging (e.g. text messages to cinema audiences encouraging them to turn off their mobile prior to the movie) suffered the same privacy fears, but in this example, mobile phone etiquette matured and user behaviour now drives the silencing of phones prior to a movie or theatre performance, which can be prompted by a more cost effective audio message.
Over time, the mobile phone market has evolved and key behavioural usage trends have thrived:
- traditional voice calls
- text messaging
- photography
- listening to music
- accessing the internet
The QR code is maximising upon behavioural usage and is a tool that is changing the way consumers interact with other communication channels and diversifying mobile phone usage. QR codes photographed and then texted to receive targeted news updates are appearing in the printed press. QR codes are also embedded in text messages and subsequently scanned as proof of identity to grant entry to venues such as clubs and sports arenas. In Japan, mobile phone QR code scanning is already being used as an alternative to credit cards.
Currently, one of the key challenges facing the mobile communications sector is the lack of disclosure when consumers text a response to a competition, or vote in a game show. Is the QR code a veiled way of obtaining mobile data from consumers by wrapping a text message in a pretty barcode picture? Or, are previous privacy fears being turned on their head and are consumers willfully submitting data and accepting to be branded with a simple dot matrix barcode as a means of identification?
Potentially, the mobile QR code is revolutionising mobile channel communication and how other channel communications interact with mobile. If this generates profitable targeted communications to consumers, the marketers won't be far behind.
