QR codes for posters
Driving interaction and response with Out of Home advertising
A 2022 report from Sightline, The DOOH Difference, showed that 94% of people found QR codes on DOOH to be useful, with 1 in 4 having scanned one.
QR codes exploded into mainstream popularity in 2020 when avoiding touch was essential. Brands have seized the moment. Everywhere from retail displays, floor stickers and even TV ads, QR codes can be seen lurking in the corner, in the hope of engagement to provide much loved metrics for marketers.
To get the most from their addition to outdoor advertising, there are 3 things to remember: environment, ease and exchange.
Environment
The OOH landscape is made up of different formats, which people engage with in different ways. When considering when and where to use QR codes, this makes life very simple.
Largely pedestrian, high-dwell-time, heavy-footfall environments within retail locations are perfect for using QR codes.
High-speed, largely roadside formats on busy arterial roads are not suitable, and QR codes are usually best avoided.
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Ease
To sensibly incorporate QR codes, and maximise their chance of engagement, think about where it features on the poster… literally and physically.
QR codes should be easy to scan for the best media experience.
Thinking about the Powerful Posters design for legibility advice, keep it simple, striking, succinct and sensible: place it up from the ground, make it high contrast and large enough to be scanned from a slight distance, with a clear call to action to explain what’s in it for those who scan.
Put the customer at the heart of the design, ensuring a sensible user experience, and above all, test the code in the real-world to make sure it works!
Exchange
Most crucially, give your customer a solid value exchange.
A simple link to a homepage is nothing a simple google search couldn’t do. Advertisers now have the opportunity for deeper engagement by providing specific links or curating specific product sets.
For example, fashion brands can link to what’s shown on the ad, or entertainment brands to exclusive content or local cinema times.
Other great examples include added value such as vouchers, product trials, competitions, discounts and other incentives, often in exchange for data capture.
