Welcome to the Matrix: QR Codes

     The goal of technology is to make things easier by getting  information to you as quickly as possible. A fantastic example of this within the entertainment industry is through the use of Quick Response codes. You may have seen them in the corners of magazine ads, and on band posters taped to the sides of buildings. They are little squares similar to barcodes. What are they for, you ask? They are your gateway to the Internet in the blink of an eye. Imagine Neo getting plugged into the Matrix.

QR codes are a great way to get consumers (whether in business or music) to see the specific information that enhances your brand. 

Whether it be a link to your band page,  

 the product list on your website,

or your Twitter and Youtube pages, these codes send your audience directly there. Its as simple as pressing the shutter button on your smart phone.

The use of QR codes is an amazing trend in mobile marketing. One of the attributes that make it so great, is how easy they are to use. Newer phones come with the Readers/Barcode Scanners pre-installed. There are also many free QR generators available on the web for public use. They can also be printed on practically anything, from product packaging to business cards, to decals on the side of your company car or touring van.

 Playing a gig ? Sell concert T-shirts at your merchandise table with QR codes printed right on them. That way your fans literally become walking billboards for your music. Put your album cover or band name on the front, and the QR codes on the back. The link can send curious people straight to iTunes or CD baby to listen to samples of your music and then purchase your album.

If you are a small business that sells a product or service, use QR codes to direct potential customers to coupons and special offers only available via this link. You would be surprised how many people walking by your storefront ( with a QR code displayed in the window of course!) would click the link and then come in to purchase the item associated with that special offer.

QR codes keep customers engaged without keeping them tied to a computer. They turn passive observers into active consumers. So will you take the blue pill and stick with the posters, stickers, fliers and mailers that you’ve always used or take the red pill and ride the wave of the future? The choice is yours.

"This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes."~The Matrix

~All photos courtesy of the Warner Brothers film, The Matrix