Whew. We’ve had one heck of a SXSW Dispatch, haven’t we? One last post to tie up some loose ends, and we’ll get back to the non-SXSW world. (It still exists, y’know.)
For starters, we told you to be on the lookout for QR news. Then, mid-conference, people started noticing that Facebook had rolled out QR codes to select profiles. We’d say that qualifies as some pretty big news, but that’s not all. The folks at TechCrunch dug further, and discovered that the QR codes are expected to be part of Facebook’s location-based plans, to be revealed in April. Since QR codes can reveal the GPS location at which they were scanned, this seems like a smart way for Facebook to back their way into the Year of Location. Location + QR Code + Social Networking = very big grins on our faces. Stay tuned.
For now, here’s a little data to support the rise of QR codes. The hangup for these codes has always been getting users to download the QR readers At present, there are about 4 to 5 million QR readers loaded on phones in the US. However, that number will hit 15-20 million by end of 2010, as almost all major carriers and handset makers are preloading readers on their handsets. As big brands continue to integrate the codes into their marketing efforts (there were rumors in one panel of a big beer company using them in a campaign this summer), consumers will become increasingly familiar with the codes and will realize that these codes always signal the existence of additional content for the user (even on a cupcake). Talk about delighting consumers with hidden surprises! Over the next 12-18 months, we’re expecting consumers to get a lot more familiar with these codes, and brands will start integrating them across a number of touchpoints.
(Oh, and in case you’re curious about how Upshot’s own QR codes fared, we had over 1,000 hits during the five days of SXSWi. Not too shabby for a program with one touchpoint and no other promotion, eh? Excuse us while we pat ourselves on the back.)
Besides codes, we also gained some additional insights on creative competitions. We’ve previously touched on this tactic a fun way to resolve pesky problems, be they issues for the brand or issues affecting consumers (head here and here for a couple of quick refreshers). Oh, did we mention they’re extremely cost-effective from a brand’s standpoint? One of the winners of the Netflix Prize, Chris Volinsky, said that Netflix ultimately got Ph.D.-level research on their recommendations system for about a dollar per day (psst guys, the Department of Labor does have internet!). But, more importantly, Volinsky claimed that the collaborative element of the competition was what really sustained participation. Once the teams started sharing information and seeing notable progress, the contributors felt like they were part of a common cause rather than just chasing some prize. And, that was for a contest solving a pretty unimportant problem; just imagine if they were engaged in true social change! When New York City released 180 data sets to the public as part of their Big Apps project, the government dangled a modest prize of $5,000 for whomever created an app that best improved the city. As it turned out, most participants were more interested in the opportunity to better their community (and be Hometown Heroes!) and having a chance to apply this hard-to-access information. Sound like something your brand would be interested in? Check out ChallengePost for Organizations for more information.
And… That. Is. It. For SXSW 2010, at least. We’re looking forward to tracking these trends throughout the year, and encourage you to contact us for any additional information on any topic we’ve covered in the SXSW Dispatches. Trust me: if you think these posts were long, you should see our notes!
