QR Codes and merging print and digital media

The guys over at Marketing Magazine asked the question whether QR codes will ever take off in Australia and I think they will, in-fact they may have already. Just this week four catalogues in my letterbox had QR codes linking print media to its digital cousin.

1. Woolworths promoting more recipes online
2. Mitre 10 promoting DIY videos online
3. Bunnings, similarly with DIY videos, but also with store locators
4. Bras 'n Things with a store locator QR code

Without stats I can't say whether this has taken off or whether it's just the marketing department trying out new things. It does make me happy, though, that there seems to be a concerted effort to provide a more connected experience between the brand and the customer.

Finally, a question that I have had bubbling away for a while is, 'have we already surpassed qr codes?'.

Taking a logistical tool and turning it into a marketing key to the digital world was a great idea and it has been one that, overseas at least, has had great commercial success. But with the advent of Google Goggles and augmented reality (AR), where applications can now 'read' real-world objects, have 2D barcodes become obsolescent?

Google Goggles still has a long way to go before it is accurate enough to surpass QR code readers, and with no accepted standards in AR, I think that QR codes will have a healthy life yet in Australia. But we have already seen the future and for marketing at-least I think it is one without 2D barcodes.

Teamwork

Photo credit: Ian Joyce

I love the Tour de France. The teamwork required to complete a race of over 3,000km is astounding. Mark Cavendish has summed it up perfectly:

"I crossed the finish line first, and I've done that 19 times now," he said, "but that's because there's only one person who can cross the finish line first. I did 200 metres today in a 200‑kilometre stage. Two of my team‑mates rode for 190 of those kilometres and the rest took over and delivered me to the line. So although it's my name on the list, it's for the team."

Read more about his stage win.

Beach balls, LEDs, live music, creators projects

Can't believe it's taken me this long to discover the Vice/Intel Creators Project.

Creative and inventive minds together, a great combination. Looking forward to watching more videos like this one:

Installation using real-time data feed

This is really mesmerizing stuff, I think if I was at this museum I could sit still for a few hours and watch this installation.

Make Magazine has featured a video of this installation that takes real-time data from one of the remote oceanic buoys and uses it to create this simulation.

The way the poles snake up and down, it really does look like waves but at the same time if you dressed the poles up a bit you could be fooled to think it was a snake or even Falkor.

tele-present water from david bowen on Vimeo.

If you want to dig a little deeper, you can surf the worlds oceanic buoys at the NOAA.

Luna Park My Experience - social networking, RFID and NFC

For a long time now I've been fascinated by the Internet of Things (a long post to come) and one concept that has just come to life is happening at Luna Park in Sydney.

Through the use of RFID and NFC customers can interact both IRL and virtually with their experiences on all the rides.

It's spot-on as far as delivering a richer experience for the demanding youth market and plays to show-of-to-my-network mentality that can been seen in hyper-connected kids.

On the flip-side to the individuals experience is of course the combined experiences each ride provides. I can imagine that a future iteration of My Experience will be the story as told by the ride - the Internet of the ride.

Great work Luna Park.