Is the QR Code Dead?–Brand Buzz

Could the QR code be dead? We see them everywhere, and they've become a normal part of advertising, but a good chunk of the public still doesn't know how to use them or have given up on them.

Jaci Russo sat down with KPEL's Nathan Pike and Brandon Comeaux Monday afternoon on her weekly "Brand Buzz" segment. Russo said there a number of reasons why the days of the QR code are numbered.

I think the biggest challenge with QR codes, aside from people not really sure how to do it, or the proprietary is the bad use. The industry has really put themselves in a bad place by putting them on moving targets, putting them on TV commercials, putting them on outdoor signs on a highway when you're driving by at 70. Those are unrealistic expectations for people to use those codes.

The potential QR code replacements are already waiting in the wings.

• AR News App – Users scan specially marked news articles to view a kid-friendly version.
• SnapTag – similar to QR Codes but it is more interactive and allows for better designs.
• Blippar and Smartsy – both of these tools use visual recognition so you scan an image (logo, product) and access additional media (web page, video).