QR CODES IN ADS ARE GETTING POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS MORE INVOLVED WITH THE STREAMLIGHT BRAND

You may have noticed that strange little graphic device in our ads, and in many ads you see every day, as well as on packaging, wrappers, and all sorts of products. As you probably know by now, that little square is called a QR (or Quick Response) code.

What you may not know is that QR codes are quickly growing
in popularity as more people use camera phones … and companies search for more ways to connect with customers. A quick scan of the code with a smart/camera phone, and the user is connected with more information about the product. It could be nutrition information about a food product, price quotes, or the location of nearby retailers. For Streamlight, a scan connects the user to an informational video or a detailed fact sheet about the product.

Most important, a scan turns a passive experience into an interactive one, where the potential customer is suddenly engaged with the brand.

QR codes are already everywhere in Japan. Consumers there are very used to seeing fuzzy little code boxes in ads, on posters, sandwich wrappers, packaging, clothing tags, and even on building facades. And they use these codes to interact and find out more about products as a matter of course.

QR codes have been a little slower to catch on in America. However, marketing professionals say the question is not whether the codes will reach the level of ubiquity found in Japan, it's just a matter of when. Remember when seeing a web address in an ad or seeing one in a TV commercial was unusual? QR codes seem destined for the same familiarity as websites; and Streamlight is already beginning to take advantage of the technology.