QR Codes Spotted In Toronto!

QR codes are a great addition to signage.  Their ability to link cell phone users to additional content allows them to add further depth to advertising. 

This past weekend I spotted some QR codes in Toronto at the Tim Burton art exhibit at TIFF (the Toronto International Film Festival).  The codes were used to link viewers to additional audio content, which provided a background about the exhibit pieces. 

I was excited to use the technology, but as I scanned my first code I noticed that many people in the area were watching me.  It seems that a lot of individuals still don't know what a QR code is or how it works.  So, I started to do a little, unofficial market research, and I tried to figure out if there were any demographic trends among these voyeurs.

What I came to determine is that the younger audience (18 – 35) knew what I was doing, as they paid little attention when I scanned the code.  Those people who were over 35 seemed to be more interested in what I was doing, which leads me to believe that individuals over 35 are still in the dark about QR codes.

So, from my little experiment I can draw a quick, generalized conclusion – younger target audiences will benefit from QR code technology in advertising, where as the older generations don’t quite understand it yet. 

QR codes are still new to the marketplace, so it will still take time for the technology to become mainstream, but for now landlords who are targeting young urban professionals (YUPPIES) or students will benefit from adding these codes into their advertising.