Actually, the future for 2D barcodes has never looked brighter

Are QR Codes dead, or, on their way out? I get this question a lot. Over the past couple of years, I have read scores of blog entries and countless articles that ponder this very question. Interestingly, the argument against using 2D barcodes, namely QR Codes, always seems to magically shift to the User Experience by the end of the article.

From my perspective, as long as traditional media and mobile devices exist in the same space and time, we will need some form of mobile trigger to integrate them - whether it's a QR Code or some other type of mechanism.

It's the experience that matters

QR Codes are working for those who address the User Experience. Unfortunately, bar code management companies have given people the idea that all they have to do is create a QR Code and point it to anything. That's where a great deal of the problems start.

QR Codes give us a brilliant way to integrate traditional and non-traditional media. The trick is to use the codes in ways that facilitate engagement, not obscure it. Advertisers have a ways to go when it comes to understanding the important differences between how people consume information in a mobile environment vs the traditional Web.

QR Codes are not a gimmick if used correctly. At PRINT2D, our mobile developers are creating strategies to use QR Codes effectively - even on TV.