Our partner anthrazit used QR Codes to offer anyone a free ticket to Orbit-iEX.

W3C Seeks Partners to Explore Role of Mobile in Bridging Digital Divide

27 May 2008 -- Today W3C invites participation in a new group chartered to explore the potential of mobile technology to help bridge the digital divide. The Mobile Web For Social Development (MW4D) Interest Group will study the issues that rural communities and underprivileged populations face in accessing information and communication technology. The MW4D Interest Group provides an multidisciplinary forum for discussing these issues, and in doing so, contributes to the W3C mission of making the Web available to all.

Well, we might have one or two ideas on the topic:)

See also:
Workshop on the Role of Mobile Technologies in fostering social development: Paper Review

I refer here to Sean Owen's Barcode Contents. I made sometimes minor changes in the quotes (URL change and adding more examples for sending SMS), but remained true to the text.

URL (Mobile Web address) - Example

The most common application of barcodes is to encode the text of URL. To do so, simply encode exactly the text of the URL in the barcode: "http://anyurl.mobi". Include the protocol ("http://", here) to ensure it is recognized as an URL.

Readers should open the URL in the device's web browser when decoding a URL. It is probably desirable for a reader to display the URL and ask the user whether to proceed, so that the user may see the URL before accessing it.

Agree 100% and we think it's important that the user chooses to proceed or not. - Kaywa Reader works like this. If possible do not use capital letters for URL's.

E-mail address - Example

To encode an e-mail address like sean@example.com, one could simply encode "sean@example.com". However to ensure it is recognized as an e-mail address, it is advisable to create a proper mailto URI from the address: "mailto:sean@example.com".

Agree 100% - Kaywa Reader works like this

Telephone numbers - Example

A tel URI should be used to encode a telephone number, to ensure that the digits are understood as a telephone number. Further, it is advisable to include prefixes that make the number accessible internationally. For example, to encode the US phone number 212-555-1212, one should encode "tel:+12125551212". This tel URI includes a "+1" prefix that will make it usable outside the United States.
Readers should invoke the device's dialer, if applicable, and pre-fill it with the given number, but not automatically initiate a call.

Agree 100%, also about not initiating a call automatically. Kaywa Reader works like this.

SMS - Example

Much like an e-mail address, one can encode an SMS shortcode or number by creating an sms URI. For example to create a link to the number "12345" one would encode "sms:12345" or "sms:+12024561111?body=hello%20there" or "sms:+12024561111,+15102061079". See this draft of the SMS URI specification for details.
Readers should open a new SMS message, ready for the user to compose and send it.

Difference! The Kaywa Reader used and uses currently smsto! I think if we have mailto, smsto would make more sense. If there is a standard (right now it's a Draft) however, everybody should try to follow it.

Contact information - Example
The trickiest of all and the least standardized.
There is vCard, MECARD from NTTDoCoMo and another KDDI format.
Kaywa Reader uses vCard Standard for Name, Email and Telephone Number.

BEGIN:VCARD
N: Your name
EMAIL: Your email
TEL: Your phone number internationally
END:VCARD

For international use, I think vCard is definitely the way to go. It's a bit more verbous than MECARD, it's true, but people do not have to learn another format. The optimum would be to support both MECARD (established in Japan) and vCard (established here).

The Federal Trade Commission (USA) on May 6 and 7 held a Town Hall meeting, entitled Beyond Voice: Mapping the Mobile Marketplace,” to explore issues surrounding the evolving area of mobile commerce (m-commerce) and the implications for consumer protection policy.

Leibowitz from FTC stated that as mobile technology evolves so to must consumer protection. He recognized industry efforts to self-regulate. He warned that companies should not burry notice and choice in privacy polices and stated that companies should obtain opt-in consent for mobile marketing, particularly for location-based offerings.

Regarding QR Codes:

Hairong Li, Associate Professor of Advertising, Michigan State University, stated that personalized mobile phones have become central to increasingly mobile lifestyles. He defined mobile advertising as any communication for promotional purposes by use of mobile devices. He identified two kinds of marketing strategies: (1) the push strategy, and (2) the pull strategy.From the pull strategy, Prof. Li highlighted QR Code, which is commonly used in Japan to provide consumers with coupons and discounts. Based on his mobile advertising research, primarily in Asia, he concluded that:

• The mobile phone is a dream medium for advertisers, but it has not been realized;
• Consumer initiated processes should be the primary form of mobile advertising;
• Mobile phone users are especially sensitive to intrusive advertisements; and
• Added value is the real driver for user acceptance of mobile advertising.

Read the full summary of the Town Hall meeting from Venable LLP

Via Colin Crawford

※ DokoDare

Código QR (Código de Respuesta Rápida) en el periódico IDEAL

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Nokia Lifestyle (AT)

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Via Milan

See also:
George Colony from Forrester Research about QR Codes

Ten Mistakes In Mobile Web Marketing (PDF Download: 600 KB)

I agree with all but the .mobi domain. Naturally a .mobi domain can help, but a QR Code helps even better;)

Mobile Advertising, Supercharge Your Brand In The Exploding Wireless Market

There’s plenty of buzz surrounding mobile advertising. The next step is transforming that buzz into real business. Mobile Advertising helps do that by covering the conceptual, analytical, and practical applications of mobile advertising, giving marketers, service providers, and investors in-depth guidance on tapping the full potential of mobile advertising.

Despite the excitement about mobile advertising, there are significant obstacles to overcome before the medium can become truly meaningful. Here, you’ll find a detailed and honest analysis of the hurdles that remain, as well as perspectives on managing and solving them. The authors address direct response promotions and advertisements; search advertising and its pricing and auction derivatives; and brand-based campaigning. While there’s work to be done, the authors remain bullish on the opportunity.

Table of Contents (PDF)
Mobile Advertising: First Chapter (PDF)

Positive Reviews:
Tomi Ahonen
Ajit Jaokar


Via ForumOxford

After Germany, Mini (BMW) goes QR Code in Italy too.




See also:
Swiss National Railways with next QR Code Campaign (Zurich - Glarus)