Prosperity. Happiness Works.

The mystifying square black and white 2D matrix codes that you may see popping up everywhere from butter tubs to advertising have a name: they’re called QR codes.
The codes, once scanned by smartphone owners that have installed appropriate QR code-scanning apps will provide access to instant and extra information on their handsets.
Invented in 1994 in Japan, QR codes, which are already available in North America and mainland Europe are set to become ubiquitous in Ireland.
Mobile services company Digital Reach Group (DRG) has signed a deal with Scanbuy, a leading global provider of these mobile barcode solutions, to begin offering the service exclusively in Ireland, through its system ScanLife.
The Scanlife app is available for download on most popular phones including Nokia, iPhone, Samsung and handsets using Google’s Android system.

Consumers in Ireland can expect to find these barcodes displayed alongside a printed ad, editorial, on merchandise or displays. Informative content, competitions, promotions, timetables, music and games can now be easily accessed by pointing and scanning.
DRG’s CEO Colm Grealy says: “With mobile internet and smartphones becoming the norm there is an increasing expectation from the public to be able to get the information they have on the internet at home straight to their handset quickly and with no fuss. The service we are bringing to Ireland will truly integrate mobile internet browsing into consumer’s daily lives.”
The company is already in discussions with a major publisher to start using the system to offer additional value to printed ads and editorial content.
According to DRG, the system is set to give print advertising in Ireland boost by making ads truly interactive and rewarding audiences with content they want.
“QR codes are a very exciting development for print and outdoor advertising. For example, we can enhance a movie ad that will allow for someone to see a trailer on their phone instantly, download a movie wall paper and also find out where the next showing of the film will be.”
The service is aimed at advertisers, ad agencies, retailers and traditional media publishers. QR codes can be bought as an add-on to traditional ad campaigns, packaging and merchandise displays.

This great ad is currently playing on French tv.

Citroen recognised the image problem they had with their small cars was that Minis were just perceived as so much cooler then anything Citroen could do because they are associated with England and cool Britannia which is very influential in France. So what better than to have arguably the coolest English man criticising the whole idea of retro stuff. At worse, it will put doubt in the minds of French potential Mini drivers.

Andrew Hussey

Now that advertising is entertainment, we bring to you some highly entertaining ads -

www.toxel.com/inspiration/2010/03/02/clever-uses-of-stickers-in-advertising

We like advertising and we like finding the right people for jobs, and this great ad has all the ingredients . . .

Every child’s dream is to make it in advertising . . .