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California Association of
RV Parks and Campgrounds
PO Box 5648
Auburn, CA 95604
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What are QR Codes?

QR codes are now used in both traditional and interactive marketing campaigns. Giving marketers the powerful ability to measure response rates, there is rapid growth in the use of QR codes in commercial tracking applications and convenience-oriented apps aimed at smart phone users (known as mobile tagging).

You can see QR codes printed on billboards, business cards, print ads, t-shirts, or just about any physical object. They are also being used in direct mail and email campaigns, coupons and websites. QR codes are also becoming more widely used in the tourism industry, helping tourists to easily get information on attractions and destinations. They have been used to interpret natural and historical points of interest on nature trails, hikes and tours.

Many smart phones now come with QR code readers pre-installed. If not, there are dozens of apps that can be downloaded. Users with a camera phone equipped with the correct reader application can scan the image of the QR Code to display text, contact information, connect to a wireless network, or open a web page in the phone's browser. This act of linking from physical world objects is known as a hardlink.

The use of QR codes is free of any license. Users can generate and print their own QR codes for others to scan and use by visiting one of several free QR code generating sites such as qrstuff.com or qrcode.kaywa.com.

When you use QR Codes, not everyone will know what they are, but for the ever-increasing number of people who do know what they’re looking at, you’ll have created the opportunity to engage with ad, T-shirt, etc. at a deeper level.

Follow this link to a blog posted by Paul Caputo at www.interpretationbydesign.com/?p=3405 for more information on QR codes and great comments and replies by marketers.

Uses you might want to consider

• Add a QR code to your business card (either the front or the back). The QR code could link to a VCard which would quickly put all your pertinent information directly into the reader's address book.
• Add a QR code to T-shirts. Folks who scan the QR code can go directly to your park's web page, or activity page.
• Add a QR code to your brochure or rack card. People who pick up your brochure may want to learn more about you but typing in a long url on a smart phone can really lead to errors and frustration. The QR code quickly gets them directly to the specific page on your website you want them to visit!
• QR code guided nature walk. Folks arrive at a station and scan the QR code which takes them to an explanation of where they are. The QR code could be populated with plain text, a YouTube video, webpage … whatever you decide.

Things to remember

• QR codes are meant to be placed on physical things. A QR code in an email is useless (wouldn't a clickable link work better?) UNLESS the reader prints out the email for later reference; then the QR code acts in place of a live link.
• QR codes are url specific. That means you have to maintain data at that url for a reasonable period of time. Ask yourself, "What is the life expectancy of this item with the QR code?" For the Camp-California! guide - it's at least two years. For a t-shirt, longer if possible.

The uses are endless!! This is a great way to connect to the younger generation … offering communication to them in the way they like it!

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