Having caught you up on all things foursquare, you’ve now got a pretty good handle on how marketers are handling the rise of this location-based social network. Of course, foursquare’s not the only game in town. While the world figures out what to make of Facebook Places, Gowalla continues to be the best LBS alternative [...]

After all our talk of QR codes and Stickybits and barcode marketing, we’d be remiss if we didn’t take a second to pat ourselves on the back here at Upshot. As part of Pacifico’s sponsorship of the US Open of Surfing, we rolled out a program via QR code for the event’s attendees. Better yet, [...]

In our lengthy coverage of QR codes and barcode marketing in general, we’ve repeatedly referenced Stickybits without ever diving into how the platform actually works. There’s a reason for that – a couple, actually. But, with Doritos, Pepsi, Ben & Jerry’s, and other CPG giants flirting with the service, we certainly owe them a glance [...]

That’s right – it’s time for another Potty Posting! This time, we tackle barcode marketing, including our old friend the QR code. As always, a PDF version is available here, which we encourage you to share with clients and colleagues. But, if you’d prefer the straight text, continue reading below.

Back when we introduced the idea of After the App, we suggested that with every brand under the sun jumping on the app bandwagon, smartphone owners were sure to start suffering from app overload. And, when these users eventually started pruning their app menus, only the most useful or most entertaining apps would survive the [...]

At least, that’s what this article from Ad Age would have you believe. After all, if the NYC sanitation department is slapping them on their garbage trucks (as seen on the right), is there any surface that’s immune to the inevitable invasion of the QRevolution? Ehh, let’s all take a deep breath here. While we’re [...]

Thanks to everyone who attended our latest Smartshot webinar: “QRacking the QR Code.” We’ve posted a recording on the webinar in two pieces above. Since we included functioning QR codes in the presentation, you will get the most out of the webinar if you download a QR code reader to your smartphone before watching . [...]

In our 10 Trends for 2010, we cautioned brands to be wary of the rise of Consumer Controlled Conversations. Now that consumers had become comfortable “expressing themselves” online, we felt they would increasingly use their (digital) voices to demand accountability, immediate assistance, flawless customer service, and other perks from brands and retailers. So, it’s not [...]

We’ve got another free, 15 minute Smartshot webinar in the works! Next Wednesday, July 7th, we’ll be hosting a session on the topic of QR codes. Starting at 2PM (Central), we’ll cover: What are QR Codes? Which marketers are using QR Codes most effectively? What are other potential applications for QR Codes, especially in-store? If [...]

Most adults like to think that they’ve outgrown the petty motivators from their childhoods: the gold star, the cub scout/girl scout badge, the varsity jacket. But, judging by the way most adults have responded to services like foursquare and Farmville, it’s clear that things haven’t really changed all that much. And, as marketers watch these [...]