QR CodesAre you leveraging a new way to

communicate?

White paper | April 2011

Shikatani Lacroix is a leading branding and design firm

located in Toronto, Canada. The company wins

commissions from all around the world, across CPG, retail

and service industries, helping clients achieve success

within their operating markets. It does this by enabling its

clients’ brands to better connect with consumers through a

variety of core services including corporate identity,

naming and communication, brand experience, packaging,

retail, wayfinding and product design.

About the Author

Diane Mullane, Senior Account Director

Diane Mullane is the Senior Account Director at Shikatani

Lacroix. Diane provides the senior leadership required to

ensure that clients receive the highest level of account

service, project management and strategic insight. Diane’s

career spans 22 years working with the industry’s pre-

eminent brands, as well as retail leaders in private label

development. She has expertise in both graphic standards

practices and account management applied to various

disciplines such as packaging, corporate and brand identity

programs. Diane began her career as a graphic designer for

Canadian Tire, then moved into account management for

Interbrand Design Associates and Watt International,

among others. Diane holds an Associate degree from the

Ontario College of Art and Design.

White paper | April 2011 | QR Codes | 1

What are QR Codes and how can you take advantage of this technology?

QR codes, or quick response codes,

are two-dimensional codes that direct

users to sites where they can read data

and media available through the code.

Decoding software on camera phones

interprets the codes that can be found

on product labels, billboards, and

buildings inviting passersby to pull out

their mobile phones and uncover the

encoded information.

QR codes and other two-dimensional

codes are expected to achieve

widespread use this year – and for

good reason. Consumers want

immediate access to what’s relevant and QR codes are

being used to make that possible.

If you’re not yet familiar with QR codes, they’re similar to

the barcodes used by retailers to track inventory and price

products at point of sale. The key difference between the

two is the amount of data they can hold or share. Bar codes

can only hold up to 20 numerical digits, whereas QR codes

are two-dimensional and can hold thousands of

alphanumeric characters of information.

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Although this technology has been around for over 20

years, initially making a big splash in Japan in the

mid-1990s, it is only since the introduction of smart phones

featuring cameras that its usage has grown.

Some interesting statistics:

• There has been a 1200% increase in scanning from

July to December 2010• 57% of Facebook and Twitter users said they have

scanned a mobile bar code at least once in the past

year• Apple (68%), Android (26%) and Blackberry (4%) QR

usage rates by platform• Starbucks is starting to use QR codes for payment

How does it work?

Data can be translated into a QR code by any

QR generator, many of which are available for

free online. Users enter the data to be

translated and the generator produces the

code, which can then be displayed

electronically or in printed format. Any mobile

camera phone that has a QR reader can

decode the information. QR readers for camera

phones are also available for free online.

Once the software is loaded, a user points the

cell phone camera at the code and scans it. The

software interprets the code and the cell phone

will either display the text or ask to launch a

browser to display the specific web page.

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QR codes containing information can appear on packaging,

magazines, signs, buses, business cards, or just about

anywhere users might need information. This opens up a

wide range of possibilities for marketers to connect with

their customers and share pertinent information regarding

their product. QR codes give marketers the ability to

measure response rates with a high degree of precision,

allowing for easier ROI (return on investment) calculation,

thus helping justify spending on marketing budgets.

Potential uses for QR codes:

• Additional, detailed nutritional information• Recipes• Valuable coupons and special offers• Information on the product usage, benefits• Link to specific blog posts or Facebook page• Customer feedback forms• Brochures and other marketing materials• Sides of trucks and trailers• Product tags and packaging• Restaurant menus• Event ticket stubs• Point-of-sale receipts• In-store displays• Translate information into customer’s native language• Business cards• Contests• Websites• Email marketing

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No license required

The use of QR codes is free of any license. The QR code is

clearly defined and published as an ISO standard. QR is a

registered trademark of Denso Wave, a subsidiary of

Toyota. Denso Wave has elected not to exercise its patent

rights of QR codes and that has encouraged their

widespread use.

The potential for QR Codes is limitless. What’s most exciting

is how they take what social media is doing well – bringing

people together with technology – and extending it to

enhance the experience, (www.socialmedia.com).

The next generation of barcodes could hold even more

information - making an Internet connection

unnecessary. The content could all be successfully

embedded in the code.

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Reference materials

QR codeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code

Educause Learning Initiativehttp://www.educause.edu/ELI/

7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutQRCod/163728

Power Creative, Digital Marketinghttp://www.powercreative.com/blogs/digital-marketing/7-

things-you-need-know-about-qr-codes

Search engine landhttp://searchengineland.com/what-is-a-qr-code-and-why-

do-you-need-one-27588

Social Media Examinerhttp://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-qr-codes-can-

grow-your-business

For more information, contact:

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, President

Shikatani Lacroix

387 Richmond Street East

Toronto, Ontario

M5A 1P6

Telephone: 416-367-1999

Email: jplacroix@sld.com

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