QR Codes and the Ignorance of the Users

With the technology of iPhones many things like the QR (Quick Response) Codes have become the way advertisers get our attention.  We see the magazines, newspapers, car dealerships all using QR Codes.  I've seen advertisers use them to take you to some creative advertising and some just to their website.  For those of you who still don't know what a QR Code is see below.  This is an old one that I used to use and I was as guilty as some, in that, I had it on my blogger pages (Why?)

By the way, that takes you to one of my old websites. I let that one slip through the cracks and someone else snagged it up. But that's another topic for another day.  Here are my top five no-nos of the QR Code.

1. Don't Put QR Codes on the Internet
Here is the big question. Why would someone put a QR Code where a link could be? Do they really think that someone is going to be surfing the internet on their computer and see a QR Code and then say, "Hey, here's one of dem dare square things. I got me an app for that. Let me break out my phone and scan it and see where it takes me!" "What the Hell!" "It took me right back to the gosh darn site that I was at!" I understand putting a Home link on your website to keep it consistent so when anyone wants to get back to your homepage they know to click that button. But why would you make people go through more work just to get back to your homepage? EXAMPLE Now I said that I was guilty of this at one point. I used to have a QR code on my blogger pages that took people to my ventriloquism webpage. What's easier www.thefamilyvent.biz or the code up above that you need to scan with a phone or a pad? Get my point? Put a link on the internet, not a QR Code.


2. Don't Put QR Codes on Moving Objects
One thing I want to do when I'm out and about is to see a QR Code on a moving object and go, "Wait, wait, wait! Let me get my phone out and scan the ...... Oh, too late! It's gone!!" Here are a few examples of silly places to put a QR code.


Here a company is advertising that they can design your QR code for you and put it on the side of your vehicle. Great. How many people actually scan that QR code on the side of your vehicle? I would say maybe a handful in a month but probably less than that. 


Here it comes! Get your phone out! Can't.....Get....Focused.... Oh well, wait till it circles again, I bet it's something AWESOME! 

  
Really? REALLY?!


3. On Your Clothing
Do you really want people coming up to you and scanning your clothing. It's worse than wearing an off color quote on a shirt and having people whisper about you. here are some of the winners with clothes!


Hey, can I scan your boob, I mean, your QR code?


Hey can I scan your crotch ... no wait


Now can I scan your crotch.


OK, these I don't mind so much. It would be fun to try to scan theses. Especially if they're right in the middle of a game!


4. On Billboards
Other than the fact that it is illegal in most states to text and drive, how about scanning and driving? Honest Mr. Officer, I wasn't texting, I was just trying to scan that square thingy with my droid. What do you mean that's illegal too? I want my lawyer!

What's that? Break the law?


Now this is just too funny! It's dangerous to text and drive so take time to scan our QR code. BTW, there is a police car right around the corner, we get 10% per every ticket written. Sound shady? What do you expect, we're a car dealership!


Exactly!


5. Other Strange Places

What did you roll? I don't know let me scan it and find out.


Nuff said!


Now this QR code has a certain RING to it. (My son will be very disappointed in the pun.)


On a cow? I bet it takes you to either GotMilk.com or Chick-Fil-A.com


OK now this is just going too far.



SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST!



Will work for food, but you won't know that until you scan my QR Code.

I will not use them on the net, I will not use them on the get, I will not put them on my car, I will not put them on a star. I will not use them in a jam, I don't like QR's Sam-I-Am.
Now I'm really not saying to not use QR codes at all. Just be smart. Use them on a business card, in a magazine or in the paper. Next time, where should your QR codes be redirected to? Just your website or something more creative.