The modern world is mobile. The staggering advances in communication technology we've witnessed in our lifetime have connected us in unprecedented ways, with the global smartphone market at an estimated 1.75 billion in 2014.

As we move towards leading increasingly digital lives, printing companies have moved quickly to develop ways to penetrate this environment. Massive advances in music and film distribution channels have seen a surge in demand for printed merchandise, but it's not just print's idiosyncrasy that keeps it relevant.

Print on the front lines

Indeed, print can be found at the cutting edge of modern advertising. Quick Response (QR) codes are found on advertisements now almost as a matter of course. They're those square icons you see on posters, ever so slightly reminiscent of a barcode. By scanning these codes using their smartphones, people access a range of digital services used to promote brands and further engage audiences.

Although widespread use in their current form is a more recent phenomenon, QR codes have been around for 20 years. They were invented by Denso Wave who, although a member of the Japan Robot Association, were using them for the relatively mundane task of managing inventories of car parts.

Nowadays you can find the codes on posters, business cards, travel tickets and banners. Brands are using QR codes to give consumers new ways to interact with their products in ever more innovative and creative ways. Instagram, for example, ran a campaign with an ad consisting of just their logo and a big QR code made out of users' images.

The highly addictive smartphone game Angry Birds ran a similar ad, with the QR code composed of the game's distinctive level design complete with obstacles and antagonistic pigs. Even Coca Cola ran a variant of the campaign with the code formed from the spray of foamy air particles released when opening a can of Coke.

These are colourful and characterful uses of the QR code concept, but when it was Google's turn to play with the idea, they took a more utilitarian approach on a massive scale. Marking 100,000 businesses across the USA with a code on the window, passers-by were able to scan the code and receive information on the business.

State of the art market penetration

QR codes helped Tesco break into South Korea under the name Home Plus. By placing then on posters found in subway stations, train stations and busier streets, those scanning the codes could order groceries from the newcomer on the spot.

San Francisco-based restaurant, The Melt, puts codes on their menus for those waiting to be seated who know they want to order the famous grilled cheese sandwich. Just scan the code and the chef will have your sandwich ready by the time you sit down.

Including a QR code on your printed material doesn't just make it easier for people to access your products. Scandinavian Airlines boosted revenue by running a campaign including not one but two codes. When scanned by two smartphones side by side a deal was activated, encouraging people to fly in pairs.

Elanders case studies

Working with UK-based domestic heating manufacturers, Worcester Bosch, Elanders UK under took the printing of boiler manuals accompanying, among other products, spare parts. As you can imagine, matching each individual set of parts to the relevant manual would have been a fiddly task were it not for the use of QR codes on the manuals to match them to the right components.
Elanders also worked with playground equipment manufacturers, Playdale. Using codes printed onto their catalogue, prospective customers were able to access dedicated segments of the site as well as a streamlined path towards making a purchase. This element of augmented reality brought Playdale's products to life for those who otherwise would have merely browsed the catalogue.

QR codes are just one of many ways in which the printed medium is striding alongside digital into the future. But the sheer ubiquity and scope of their use makes them one of the defining advances in modern marketing, offering brands a direct link to their customers and letting them craft an experience limited only by their creativity.