The QR Code links to their mobile website where you can make reservations, get directions and also view the menu.

Since we love sports and QR Codes (I am not sure which one we love more!), we decided to create a Patriots-themed QR Code. It directs people to a mobile website that was built with iFlyMobi. The website is full of New England Patriots history, random facts, videos, and more!

If you love the New England Patriots or QR Codes, what are you waiting for?! Take out your smartphone and scan the QR Code below!

Note: We created the QR Code in color and we added a logo to the middle of the QR Code.

And as much as I personally dislike snow, I am thankful that lousy weather led me to learn about the board game, Zero.

As you can see in the picture below, they have made print and packaging interactive by including a QR Code on the box.

Upon scanning the QR Code, people are directed to the website for the Zero game.

There, they can learn more about the game on their phones — whether it’s by watching a video, reading the rules, or connecting to one of their social networking profiles.

While there are certainly some things that they could have done better in executing this QR Code effort, I absolutely want to give them credit for taking this step. I think it’s a great way to try to reach the growing mobile audience as they seek to sell more of this product.

And yes, that means it can be fairly embarrassing for me as my neighbors watch my wife handle a hammer, a screw gun, a ladder, etc., better than I can while we are working on our house!

Thus, when a company that sells tools reaches out to me with a marketing effort, chances are fairly high that I will not pay attention… However, if they provide a call-to-action that gets me excited, then they have a chance.

Here’s an example of how this recently happened. Below is a picture of a direct mail piece that I received at home:

I apologize for the blinding flash that appeared in the middle of the mail piece! But I can’t lie — after seeing the QR Code, I was motivated to find my smartphone and scan to see where they were going to send me.

The QR Code directed me to their corporate website, where I could browse and shop for tools. After a few moments, my lack of knowledge took of over, and I handed the phone to wife to continue the mobile shopping process.

However, the bottom line is this — the QR Code helped to make their direct mail piece interactive, and helped me (a potential consumer) to pay attention.

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Every year, Pantone presents their “Color of the Year”. After seeing their choice for 2012, I must say that it is a very nice color! The color is Pantone 17-1463 Tangerine Tango.

Since I love design, color, and QR Codes, I thought I would take some time to show you how to create a QR Code using QReate & Track in this year’s Pantone “Color of the Year”.

In the QReate & Track application, start off by choosing what kind of QR Code you would like to create. In the screenshots below, I am creating a QR Code that will point to a website URL.  Simply type the URL into the text box. Then, give it a Label — this can be useful in the future, so that you’ll know exactly why and what that QR Code was created for. (Also, note the “Folder” field in the screenshot below. That is an option that is available to registered users of QReate & Track to help them organize their QR Codes.)

Next, it’s time to assign a color to the QR Code. Click in the text box next to the “Pick a Color” label. There, you can simply enter the appropriate value of the color (click here to get the color information).

Now that I have my color chosen, I am ready to finish my QR Code! Just click the “Get Code” button — our system will generate the QR Code for you instantly.

After the QR Code appears in the dotted box, click the “Download Your QR Code!” link. Save the QR Code  as a .png file, and then add it to your printed materials!

Here are a few previous winners of the  “Pantone Color of the Year” award. I like 2011 the best!

Upon seeing the picture, I was quite excited. When a mainstream brand such as Starbucks is using QR Codes on their packaging, it should help to increase awareness and acceptance of QR Codes.

Here’s the picture that they posted:

The QR Code directs people to a mobile website.

Here’s what I loved about this — rather than simply pointing to a generic Starbucks.com website of some sort, the QR Code from this package takes me to a site that is specifically dedicated to the type of coffee that this bag contains. In this case, that was the Veranda Blend.

Here is a screenshot of the mobile website:

While I do like many aspects of their execution, the folks at VGART Design made an excellent point when they sent this picture to John Foley, Jr. on Twitter. Their point was this: It would certainly have been better if Starbucks had included some sort of instructions or incentive around the QR Code.

This could have been accomplished by providing simple text such as “Scan this with your smartphone to learn more about this blend”, or “To watch a video about this coffee, scan the QR Code”.

Text like that could help to inform folks that may not know what a QR Code is — and it also could help encourage those who do know what they are to scan it.

But the bottom line is this: there are plenty of opportunities for other companies to successfully incorporate QR Codes into their packaging! Here’s hoping this application from Starbucks provides some inspiration.

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They ran this tremendous print advertisement back in August of 2011… but for some reason, I never completed the task of promoting it here on the blog.

Well, I’m very late, but the QR Code still works. So, here it is:

Here is a link to the digital edition of the Arkansas Business magazine where this advertisement was placed.

However, the power of video can help to deliver a message in multiple ways.

If you have a free moment today, please watch the video below. It demonstrates how readers with smartphones are able to engage with the printed pages of Qweekr’s magazine.

This video demonstrates Qweekr, the QR Code magazine.