Are quick response (QR) codes worth it? That’s one question sports brands have been asking about the readable barcode system, typically scanned on mobile devices. Should sports brands be working QR codes into every day operations or is there just no use?
The number of people with smartphones is increasing and with that, so is the use of QR codes. According to a report from ScanLife, QR code usage rose by 400% last year.
So with the recent rise in popularity of QR codes, how should sports brands take advantage of the technology?
The NBA was one of the first brands to take advantage of QR codes on a large scale. During the All-Star game last season, QR codes were put on screens all around the arena. When someone scanned the code, a coupon was sent to his or her phone for a free gift from the team shop. Over 10% of attendees scanned the code and the supply of free gifts was exhausted. That’s pretty successful for an arena packed with 100,000 fans.
The Detroit Red Wings are another brand who have tried out QR codes. The team included one of them in a game program. The code created an augmented reality by making a print program digital. It brought a video up on the users phone that was related to the page in the program.
What was even more interesting about Detroit’s situation was that the arena played an instructional video for fans, teaching them how to use the technology. They targeted one of the major flaws of QR codes, which is consumers not knowing how or why to use it.
The Red Wings found QR codes to be successful. Studies showed that consumers were watching the team’s video content on mobile devices more than anything else, due to using QR codes.
QR codes might also have a place in ticketing at sports venues. A movie theater in Singapore is switching over to an entirely mobile ticketing system. The same system could also work at a stadium or arena.. The attendee would buy a ticket with the mobile app, be provided a QR code and then scan when getting to the stadium. It’s a simple solution for avoiding long lines at the box office.
There are a lot of uses for QR codes, but sports brands need to decide if using them is worth it. Will brands see a return on investment? Brands will continue to use these codes in new and interesting ways and one may catch on and become a norm at sports arenas across the world.
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