QR Codes and Arena Sports

It's another week and the class begins with another subject -- QR codes. The articles given are pretty straightforward. One explains what a QR code is and how it is being applied to various fields to transfer various forms of data and information quickly -- as its name implies (QR is an abbreviation of Quick Response) and how it is mainly used with a mobile device. My first thought reading the article was that the codes are pretty extraordinary and opened my eyes to a lot of things. I've noticed these codes long before the lesson but never once did I attempt to find out more about it. I actually used it once, as the Blackberry Messenger uses these codes to help users trade contact information that in turn enables users to chat with each other via the app.

The second article talks about how it is recently being integrated more by American marketers to boost their marketing campaigns. The article also mentions that some Asian countries have used these codes for several years now and has been highly popular and successful. I feel that it is a good thing that more American marketers have begun to apply this tool in their campaigns. This tool will enable them to access a greater variety of marketing campaigns options and will enable them to do things that would otherwise be impossible before. Moreover, with the increasing use of mobile devices, QR codes could only take a turn for the better.

Reading the articles and coming up with your own idea for how to utilize the QR codes are completely different matters however. My individual project client is Arena Sports Seattle -- a company that specializes in sports equipment and field rentals which includes fitness gyms, soccer fields, beach volley ball fields, etc. My client also has several locations in the Washington state. One way the company could utilize the QR code, is by distributing stickers with the QR codes and the words "Scan for Reward" in various community gathering places (parks, message boards, forums, etc), either online or offline. I would put more emphasis on the parks as I feel people in Seattle really enjoys a good weather and sports. On the other hand, I often find that parks to be very full on such days. Perhaps, people who couldn't find space to do their activity would see these stickers and hopefully scan the codes with the reward as an incentive. The codes will link people to Arena Sports website and will give a coupon that will give discounts or free membership (1 week / 2 weeks).

Another alternative would be for their employees to wear these codes on a t-shirt or around their facilities with rewards as an incentive. The QR codes would then link to a coupon for discounts or complimentary free lessons that people can give to their friends. Moreover, there are a lot of parents during the day that are waiting for their kids' soccer lessons, maybe a QR codes that links people to interesting websites or downloadable games would be another powerful tool to use.

All in all, I think the possibilities for QR codes are endless and should be utilized as effectively as possible as I think its potential is still untapped, at least in North America. This fact could also lend to its effectiveness as some studies have shown --- that people in the US are more open to new things, and something like the QR codes would attract a lot of people.