QR codes are back at the top of the marketing industry's trends-to-watch list, and this time, consumers are actually on board! (To be honest, they never really went away, it’s just that the conditions for their use has changed)

Despite a flurry of industry hype and headlines around the possibilities of QR codes over a decade ago, UK audiences have only truly embraced these scannable codes over the past three years. The global Covid-19 pandemic brought QR codes to the masses with the need to travel with a Covid Travel Pass, checking-in to establishments by scanning them or even using them to order food & drinks in hospitality establishments.

Over the last decade, Smartphones have evolved, and cameras are now capable of recognizing QR codes without the need to download separate apps. Furthermore, the use of 4G and now 5G means that the possibilities are not limited by band with.

Conditions for the use of QR codes have never been better and while the function of a QR code is designed to be simple on the consumer side, its applications are quite varied and versatile from a marketing standpoint. QR codes are connecting with people across the entirety of their brand journey, and they're doing so in a way that puts mobile at the crux. A simple scan can drive people to personalised landing pages, websites and video; access branded content such as brochures or explainer videos; place immediate orders or make charity donations. The possibilities are endless.

Smartphones are at the heart of our our day-to-day interactions, and they should likewise be a focal point of today's multi-channel marketing and advertising.