QR Codes...

You may have seen them in posters, magazines, on websites and billboard advertisements. QR codes are cropping up more and more.

So what are QR codes exactly? QR codes or quick response codes are a two-dimensional bar code, which to the naked eye is unreadable but can be read by QR barcode readers and camera phones. QR codes can be used to display text, open a URL, and compose emails or SMS.

QR codes are becoming increasingly popular these days in media campaigns; a brilliant example is the World Park Campaign. The idea originated from New York Park wanting to engage to a younger more wired visitor, and they did this through QR codes.

The World Park sought to reposition Central Park as the modern, urban theme park it was once considered and get tourists, both local and international, to re-engage with it by creating an outdoor mobile museum.

Traditional and interactive media let consumers scan the adverts with their mobile devices to watch the commercials and discover unknown facts, rare stories, and movie scenes—just as they would at the event.

The first World Park event opened to the public on Arbor Day weekend 2010. More than 1,800 visitors used their mobile phones to scan custom signage called Parkodes™, QR codes resembling a digital tree, to play the park. Over 50 codes were placed throughout various locations, turning it into an interactive board game. Each sign revealed a question relating to the visitor's exact location. Visitors unlocked park secrets, famous movie scenes, views from the 1800's, and even hunted for a real world Shakespeare in the park.

The World Park gave New York City’s Central Park a voice, a new medium to speak through and created a new way for tourists to interact with this iconic landmark.

Looking at QR codes on a smaller scale they can be utilised in a less complex and personal way, to promote your artwork, blog, store, or to just display a message.

The Future of QR codes and Tags

The potential for QR codes is limitless. What’s most exciting is how they take what social media is doing well now, bringing people together with technology, and extending it to enhance the experience.

The next generation of barcodes will hold even more information- so much that an Internet connection will not even be necessary. The content will be effectively embedded in the code. Imagine scanning a digital code to manifest physical reality?

It’s amazing to consider where this can go and we are looking at incorporating them into our advertising and promotional material!

Google+

With Google+ reaching its 10 millionth user within days we are all witnessing the biggest, unprecedented growth of a social network site. Ever. Regardless of whether you think its futile attempt to encroach on Facebook’s territory, - they’re making things interesting.

Google’s PR so far has been impressive. Initially G+ only allowed a special selected few to access the trial period of the site, which created an air of mystery and exclusivity. To put it simply, people want what they can’t have, and it certainly created a PR buzz. I for one was chomping at the bit to get involved.

Having used G+ fairly intensively over the last couple of weeks, I can honestly say that it is the most intuitive, inventive and innovative platform I have ever come across. Not to mention the fact that it’s aesthetically pleasing. Putting my own opinions aside and getting down to the nitty gritty- What does G+ actually offer that others don’t?

Firstly G+ has a lot of web3.0 elements within it, but before I get out of my own depth with the technical stuff I’d rather talk about its features, so let’s start at ‘Circles’.

Circles offer something that no other social networking site can. Google Circles is your organisational tool for your friends, associates, coworkers, or otherwise somehow connected to you, human beings online. You can make a group for your friends; for your family members, for your online game buddies, or even a group especially for the peculiar people you don’t want to offend by blocking them out of your online life- you can make circles for whatever you like.

The main idea behind this clever concept is the ability to separate the messages and media you share between groups, unlike Facebook where whoever you are connected to can see what you share. I’ve had the awkward situation of having to apologise to my Nan for a number of unsightly, inebriated university photos I have been tagged in. This Circles functionality plays with every other bit of this whole ecosystem.

Now the ‘Hangout’ feature. Some say it’s similar to Skype, but personally I prefer it.

The aim of the ‘Hangout’ feature seems to be the idea that it’s a meeting place for you and your friends, you and your associates, or if you feel like it, the oddball bunch. It facilitates up to 6 people in a hang out at a time, so although it can get messy if you all want to talk its more functional than Skype.

Now, the ‘Sparks’ functionality I find less interesting, although to others probably quite useful. Sparks offers real time streaming to anything you may be interested in from Cooking to Sport or my stereotypical choices of clothes, shoes and beauty products. A nice little add on that others don’t offer.

Once you’ve had your first taste of Google+ you really do find yourself immersed in social networking heaven - one that’s fully integrated, fully automated and ridiculously simple to understand.

Many cynics have commented that Facebook shouldn’t be worried about Google+, Google is a search engine and that’s what they are good for and Facebook is a Social Networking site and that’s what they do best, but need I remind you Google+ built the first fully automatically driven car- and they are certainly not a car manufacturer.

The scary thing is that it is still in ‘trial phase’ with ‘bug fixes’ and ‘additional features’ on their way……

CH&A's Guest Blog: Work Experience Student Edward Hill

Here at CH&A we are well aware of the importance of interns, work experience and mentor schemes, as these opportunities provide a good entry into the world of PR and Marketing for students, as well as being of huge benefit to us, the employer.

A perfect example of this mutually beneficial system is our recent appointment of Kayleigh Grierson, who worked for us as part of her placement scheme at University, this experience has helped immeasurably as Kayleigh has been able to integrate seamlessly and really hit the ground running. You can read more about Kayleigh’s appointment here.

Currently, we have Edward Hill with us on work experience. Edd will be experiencing the various facets of the PR and Marketing business over the course of this week, here’s hoping we don’t put him off too much! As an introduction to copy writing and digital marketing we have asked Edd to write a guest blog for us, and we think he’s done a stellar job, focusing on the effects of marketing within the music industry:

While most of us are aware of the music business being one of the biggest industries in the world, the majority of us are clueless when it comes to how it actually works. Is it just that marketing, a good advertising campaign and a catchy tune is all you need?

The majority of the population in the U.K are very aware of music, with ‘high climbers,’ and ‘new entries,’ making it into the extremely competitive UKtop40. Usually the UKtop40 is dotted with artists like Cheryl Cole, Nicole Scherzinger, and Jason Derulo. While these stars make good music, it seems to be that they do not spend much time writing and crafting the lyrics and creating the songs themselves.

As these are some of the planet’s biggest artists music wise, we would expect them to take their time and fine tune each and every song themselves. The reality is, unfortunately, that it seems they don’t. However, there are many exceptions: bands like Coldplay and artists like Adele and Jack Johnson make us feel as though they have taken time over every song, they make us feel as though they are very much worth the advertising and publicity they seem to acquire.

Adele is a perfect example of this theory. Adele has recently come into her own and has been recognised as one of the planet’s best and most powerful songwriters of today after her second album, ’21,’ was such a great success. Adele does have complete creative control over her music and it seems she spends days and weeks over every lyric. Is the reason for her second album being such a success that we are so used to listening to modern ever changing pop music written about rock star lifestyles, and when someone like Adele comes along and writes songs about things that relate to our everyday lives we realise what a talent she has for both singing and song writing? Or is it that advertising can just sell and type of music to any type of person?

As lyrics are becoming less important is it that advertising and ‘studio magic’ can make any one name at the top of that all important list of top 40 songs and artists? Even if Adele is appreciated now, who’s to say she will remain in our memory as one of the best songwriters of the decade? Will her studios and managers be saying ‘we’ll find someone like you’?

However there is an argument to be heard that advertising in music is a powerful thing for many good reasons. Marketing and advertising are being used more and more to make sure more people know about an artist or a song all over the world, this is a brilliant thing as more people can buy songs that they have heard about and like. Also with advertising and marketing and PR being so strong it means more people can have the chance to maybe, live their dreams whether it be to be a chart topping artist or to just be employed by someone and earn a living doing something they like doing. Also if there is less pressure on an artist to be the best songwriter as well as the best singer or composer then there is more chance for jobs along the way, e.g. songwriters and composers. Overall, it can be said that advertising, marketing and PR are powerful tools in every industry.

As always we welcome comments and suggestions, please do get in touch if you want to discuss anything, even if it’s just about the weather!

CH&A Digital.