The internet is a very useful tool these days, but is it getting a little out of control? People already cannot stand to walk down the street with out having their ipod, iphone, or blackberry in hand, and new devices and technologies are being created every day to keep us even more connected to the virtual world. People are in constant connection to the internet which makes it easier for people to access information of any kind at any time with just the click of a button.
You may have noticed lately a black and white symbol showing up on billboards or in magazines. Once you see one, you notice that they seem to be springing up everywhere, but what are they? They are called QR codes or quick response codes, and they seem to be the next big thing in advertising. Personally I find them to be a scary realization of what the world is coming too, a world revolving around the internet.
These codes are used in advertisements and are links to promotional pages or pages with discounts and coupons. All you need to do is have a smart phone, download the scan app, and then you will be able to scan every symbol you see and it will automatically bring you to a page relating to the advertisement. The article found from CNN.com reported that 32% of smartphone users have scanned a code, with 53% using it for discounts or coupons, and 72% of users saying they would more likely remember an add that has a QR code.
Advertisements are becoming diluted by the use of the internet, now instead of people thinking of new slogans or eye catching pictures for ads, they are simply slapping a strange looking black and white square on the magazine page or billboard. Personally I believe that it is getting a little out of control, we cant even read a magazine now-a-days without being reminded of the unlimited information that can be found on the world wide web. I understand that the internet is great, but I don’t think that it needs to start being incorporated into daily life even more then it already is. These codes show the growing interest in the internet and the growing obsession that people have with being connected 24/7.
I use and absolutely love QR codes! I think it’s one of those innovations that make brilliant use of the internet. Unlike, say, Google Ads (another advertising tool that developed with internet integration in mind) which pick up on a few words out of context and feed you probably irrelevant things, QR codes allow the consumer to proactively decide to get more information.
I remember when Season 3 of HBO’s series True Blood was about to premiere, both print and subway ads were all equipped with QR codes in the corner that would give me access to special, promotional webisodes leading up to the premiere date. Already a huge fan of the show, the webisodes got me even more excited for the return of one of my favorite series and I probably wouldn’t have come across them without spotting those wonderful pixellated boxes!
While I definitely agree with the sentiment of annoyance in having to get more information or more access to things by visiting a website as opposed to getting the whole story in the original medium (as we see in magazines, and especially talk shows), I think the ability to choose to find out more about a movie is actually great fun and a sort of genius invention. Very clever use of the new internet. Also, it’s such a fun feature for users of smartphones! To use your camera to then access an otherwise hidden hotbed of information is a lot more fun than typing in the URL of an over-designed website.
The QR codes, sound interesting and from what I’ve heard is just another application that can make things easier for us. And that may be the advertisers or the consumers. If it is true, since I am no familiar with it myself, that these codes will display additional information that would not be available otherwise, or that would involve some effort to get to it. Thus; I can’t help to think that It may be a good think, as long as your phone can actually read it, which brings me yet to another to task to the “to do list” that needs to be added to my phone.
Whenever I think of the new possible applications that the smart phones have, it seems to me to be endless. I can assure you all that nothing will shock me know. If you tell me that the smart phones will be our “Star Trek Transporter” I have to believe it, because it seems that smart phones are becoming the center of our universe. The mighty God or the “necessary thing” by which all revolves.
Not that is a bad thing; I mean that I don’t like the fact that at the speed thing are going smart phones will eventually “rule the world.” Humans will probably be on the way of the advancing technology, and this new technology will have difficulty finding something for us to do….so what’s next?
But again, behind all that great technology there is a human brain, but for how long? I could only guess that the answer of that is simply “not for long.” I just can’t help being a bit concern since I am a part of the profit driven human race that may have nothing to do in the future, since all will be done for us. Or on the bright side maybe instead of disappearing we just turn into a brain with legs just as it was predicted in the old science fiction movies.
I guess I sound sarcastic….But the reality is that I am guilty of enjoying all the amazing rapid advances that technology has provided us with, and I am becoming lazier by the second. If the task on hand involves more that the push of button by my finger then I have to think twice if it’s worth all that trouble.
I never really knew what those black and white symbols were until now. I think that after reading the article and finding out how QR codes work I now realize how strange they are and see how beneficial it may be for companies to pay for low-advertising but am also a bit skeptical to see just how they may affect an already rapid technologically changing society. Sure, QR codes may allow for advertisers to pay less and allow for quicker links between their products and consumers, but is it really that necessary for a consumer to have to have instant access to a product they may want to buy?
I think the reason why companies love QR codes are because they’re cheap and allow for people to purchase sometimes with out even thinking. Like the article said, “25 percent of pre-orders for Fiasco’s “Lasers” album were driven by the company’s QR code.” How many of those people were actually planning on actually pre-ordering that cd and how many of them were just caught in the moment with the great laser show?
I feel that even though people do have self-control of how they spend their money and not being sucked in by advertisements, I think that nowadays thats becoming less and less easy for some people. All around us there is always an advertisement around us, staring down at us, and these are even more prevalent in the city where is hard not to see an ad up somewhere. So I ask again, is it really necessary to have an instant connection or access to a product? Don’t get me wrong, I think that instant connection for things like texting is great, but for products and advertising, I feel like an instantaneous connection is something thats just not necessary.
The availability of the internet is very to companies that make money of it. Companies like facebook, google and other want you to be able to constantly be connected so that they have more viewers of there ads. The availability of the internet is also become so much more accessible then other forms of communication such as TV, radio or newspaper. They have to be sort out but the internet is now at your finger tips ready to use at any moment of time, for any purpose you choose unlike the other types of communications.
You are able to be selective on what you do on the internet becomes of the ability to choose what you , and you can choose to personalized the way use the internet, unlike any ability you have on tv, radio or newspaper.
The availability of the internet is very important to companies that make money of it. Companies like facebook, google and others want you to be able to constantly be connected so that they have more viewers of there ads. The availability of the internet has become so much more accessible then other forms of communication such as TV, radio or newspaper. They have to be sort out but the internet is now at your finger tips ready to use at any moment of time, for any purpose you choose unlike the other types of communications.
You are able to be selective on what you do on the internet becomes of the ability to choose what you , and you can choose to personalized the way use the internet, unlike any ability you have on tv, radio or newspaper.