With Facebook recently unveiling their own location-based service, the press has itself in a tizzy trying to wrap its head around the impending arrival of the year of location. Y’know, the one we called out back in March. But no worries, we’re glad you’re all coming around. In fact, we’re going to spend the next [...]

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.

You know this much by now: if it’s Friday and you’re on the Awesome Blog, there’s a good chance you’ll be reading about some awesome projection executions. But, before you dismiss us as being a little too predictable, admit that you didn’t expect us to be covering slingshots in the same post, right? Meet 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 [...]

If you’re struggling to make sense of Twitter’s advertising system, that’s understandable. They’ve rolled out a handful of tweaks with little press, and brands are celebrating the results without a whole lot of context. So, let’s step back and take a look at the two primary options for advertising on Twitter (at least for now): [...]

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 [...]