QRTY

Treeline Chalets

admin — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:20:34 +0000

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Jenrick – Podcast landing page

admin — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:04:24 +0000

Jenrick IT | Free Inspirational Podcasts & Videos – scan the code the see what QrTY has done for them.

Wizzard Health – discuss QrTY Emergency Cards

admin — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:04:02 +0000

Today, QrTY gained a new follower on Twitter – Wizzard. We always check out who’s following us, and if we like what they’re saying or doing – we follow back – its just polite netiquette!

We were more impressed tho, by the latest post on their blog about our QrTY Emergency Cards – titled QR Codes to the Rescue, by Claire Powell. I have copied the text below from their thoughts page – and included the hyperlink to them to help get their site new links (as it looks pretty new & shiny and not ranked yet!)

Thanks Claire @ Wizzard Health (http://www.wizzard.co.uk)- great article – we love it!
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QR Codes to the Rescue

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011 | Leave a reply

It’s a strange thing to imagine yourself in an emergency situation where you may be admitted to A&E. Not really worth dwelling on.

However, spare a thought for the Rescue Services. When a patient has died, suffered a major trauma, or is in a state of shock and unable to speak, Rescue Services often face the very difficult task of finding out more about the patient, including the patient’s In Case of Emergency contact details.

A new QR code – QrTY Emergency – looks to resolve this problem. Endorsed by Bob Brotchie, a clinical team leader for the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust, the codes contain your vital medical information, including contact details, illnesses, blood type and medications.

It means that Rescue Services can instantly access your details through their smartphone. You don’t need a smartphone yourself to have a QrTY Emergency code – you can carry your code on a keyfob or a card.

It might not be a situation we’d like to think about, but it’s good to see QR codes serving a purpose beyond marketing. Just like a smartphone it is, well, smart.

http://www.qrty.net/

QrTY Emergency Cards mentioned in California

admin — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 21:51:25 +0000

Stumbled upon this article the other day, I am thrilled to bits that people are finding time to spread the news about QrTY Emergency Cards:

The Original article cane be found on Mobile Commerce News website

QR codes to be used to help emergency responders find medical data on patients

August 2, 2011 7:35 pm
Stephanie Beck

QR codes continue to integrate into the medical field as Connectyx Technologies unveils plans to inject the mobile technology into their popular MedFlash platform. Connectyx is the designer and distributor of MedFlash, a Personal Health & Wellness Management system. The system allows those with medical conditions to store their medical information so that it can be quickly accessed in case of an emergency. By augmenting the system with QR codes, first responders will now be able to retrieve this vital information when they arrive.

MedFlash allows users to create an online medical profile containing their histories and other relative information. Each profile is assigned a unique code which links to the profile. The codes can be printed on anything, allowing users to place them where they feel the codes will be most useful. Connectyx opted to adopt the codes because of their ability to distribute important information quickly, which can be a boon to emergency personnel.

This is not the first time that QR codes have been used for such a purpose. In the UK, a company called QrTY fashioned what they called “QrTY Emergency Cards.” The codes affixed to small card link to medical records, allowing emergency responders to access any relevant information. The company has seen success with their initiative, showing that the codes can serve a purpose beyond marketing and advertising.

Essential Details on Card – Telford Journal

admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 13:58:49 +0000

Telford Journal have picked up our story bout the launch of QrTY Emergency and have run it on page 53 on Thursday 21st July 2011.

We are really pleased that QrTY Emergency is getting so much publicity at the moment – and is becoming a talking point amongst people who appreciate peace-of-mind.

Jenrick:group – QrTY Emergency

admin — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:47:54 +0000

Jenrick:group, innovators in the IT, Building, Commercial, Engineering & Medical sectors have produced the following – this was lifted directly from their Jenrick:group blog.

QrTY Emergency – An interactive card that utilises QR codes to provide life-saving information in an emergency has been launched in the UK.

Here is an interesting insight into a commercial marketing technology that has been huge in Japan for the last decade, finally making moves into the UK – yet, being applied in a completely different manner.

QR Codes are one of the fastest emerging technologies and have become considered the most flexible forms of marketing and communication to hit the mainstream in recent years.

For those of you unfamiliar with QR Codes, they have been around for a number of years, becoming commonplace in everyday life in the Far-East and Japan, where you’d find them on everything from ID badges to food packaging.

In the UK and Europe they are rapidly being adopted and used in a huge amount of different ways at an exponential rate.

With the huge shift in mobile phone technology, smartphones such as iPhones and Blackberrys have given the user the ability to do so much more than just make a call. Using one of the many free apps, anyone can scan a QR Code to what’s behind those arrangement of black squares.

One of the most powerful applications of QR Codes has been within the emergency services sector, where the QrTY Emergency Card gives Medical crews instant access to a patients vital details such as blood type and medication, as well as identification and contact numbers.

The digital card – called QrTY Emergency – is the brainchild of Greg Hughes, director of UK-based internet firm Netronix.

Greg came up with the idea after his brother was badly injured in a hit-and-run accident.

“Paramedics were quick on the scene, but my brother had no identification with him and doctors at the hospital did not know who he was or anything about his medical background,”

said Greg.

This lack of knowledge led to him being given conflicting medication that almost proved fatal.”

Emergency crews can gain vital information from the cards within seconds by using a QR – Quick Response – code scanner on their smartphones.

The cards have been endorsed by the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. Corporate fundraising manager Stef Langford-Brown said:

“We are delighted to be involved with the QrTY Emergency card at such an early stage.

Nearly half of the incidents we attend are road traffic accidents, and having patient information at the scene can help our paramedics do their job even better.

The card will undoubtedly help us to save lives, by saving time.”

Backing has also come from Bob Brotchie, director and founder of the ICE (In Case of Emergency) initiative, which encourages people to add an ICE contact to the address book in their mobile phones.

Bob said:

“With the new surge in smartphones and technologies, the guys at QrTY really have taken a great idea and used it practically and in a way that could actually save lives.”

The QrTY Emergency card is the same size as a credit card and fits easily into a wallet or purse.

Data is stored securely on Netronix’s servers and can be updated at any time without the need for replacement cards. In the event of loss or theft, the card can be deactivated instantly.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information please visit QrTY.net

Tags: blackberry apps, Communication devices, effective marketing tools, Greg Hughes Netronix, iPhone apps, marketing and communication technology, mobile phone technology, Netronix, QR Codes, QrTY Codes, QrTY Emergency card, QrTY.net

QR Codes and marketing, you can do it when you B&QR Code it

admin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:16:22 +0000

Continuing our posts about what is a QR codes used for, this little gem from B&Q was sent over to us (thanks to the head of marketing at Jenrick Recruitment Group) – showing a very productive way to utilise a code in your marketing strategy. This was found in the free paper that can be picked up in-store at B&Q and is also circulated through the post service, so covering a very broad readership.

This is another great use of the QR code. The code (or B&QR Code as they label it) links through to a dedicated page with a 3min YouTube video ‘How to create a feature bathroom wall with tiles’, This is part of an ongoing series of inspiration and style idea videos to inform customers on how they can achieve a specific goal, which ultimately sells more products.

Another valuable point illustrated here – and which many campaign fail to use – is a descriptive and call to action along side the QR code. To the majority of people, QR codes are new, and adding some text to let the user know how to use it, as well as telling them what they get once they’ve gone to that effort, is very important for any marketing strategy to be a success.

We’ve all read the reports about how DIY is a huge business and has become one of the fastest growing markets of the last couple of years. This use of QR codes, empowers the customer giving them confidence to take on more difficult home improvements. But this doesn’t just apply to DIY, any opportunity offering a ‘how to’ guide will result in people tending to be much more eager to have a go and find they complete the job rather than getting stuck and giving up.

This seems to be part of an ongoing use of QR codes from B&Q. Coming from the 3rd biggest DIY retailer in world, we can look forward to more inspiration not only from these videos, but QR codes becoming a great support for any business.

Jenrick are a multi-sector recruitment agency, very active in the IT and Engineering arenas.

The BBC starting to use QR Codes and get it right

admin — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:25:48 +0000

We’re really starting to see the use of QR codes in the mainstream picking up pace. We wrote a piece a couple of days ago about a QR code featuring on a tv advert for 4Music and how this is adding no value with its use.

I couldn’t contain myself when I was sent a tweet (thanks @Ecto_Son) informing me the BBC have used QR codes in a new primetime cookery programme ‘The Good Cook’ on BBC One and BBC HD. Have a look at the screencap below. The codes popped up once each dish had been finished, so the viewer can scan and have immediate access to the recipe of that dish.

One word, brilliant.

This is great use of a QR code, providing a genuine support to the programme that no other format can achieve. Sure you can give a url web link to the recipes from the show, or as you usually find in most television shows ‘this is our website address, go find it yourself somewhere in the pages and pages of programming we have’.

Using the code to give the viewer the recipes, not only gives the viewer something new, it gives them the feeling that they’re part of and interacting with the show, but moreso and most importantly we are given direct access to a specific and direct page relative to what we’re viewing. Please, tell me what other technology or format can accomplish this, other than a QR code?

Those little black squares may not be the prettiest, but this just shows the shining beauty that can be acheived when the codes are used so appropriately.

The Good Cook can be seen on Fridays BBC One (& HD) at 7.30pm

Here’s a couple of screencaps of the page the QR code links though to on the BBC website.

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Qr Codes and Marketing – DVDs get in on the action!

admin — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 09:14:30 +0000

Following our post from the other day about QR codes and advertsing, here’s another interesting use of QR codes in marketing. This time found on the back of a DVD, for the film ‘Chatroom’. I’d never heard of the film and its kinda makes sense for a movie about social networking, albeit ‘the dark side’, to use a this emerging technology as part of the marketing strategy. The film itself has been scored pretty average on IMDB - but the fact its directed by Hideo Nakata immediately made me sit up, being a huge fan of Japanese and Korea horror (Nakata is the director responsible for the original Ringu and the quite brilliant Dark Water, not the horrible American version). There’s also a couple of strong performers starring in it, so maybe I’ll get round to checking it out.

But anyway, we’re not a film review site… back to the DVD packaging; the code appears on the back of the cover, with a bit of instructions underneath telling the user to scan it see the trailer. This is a brilliant use of a QR code – mainly in the fact that this code links through to a shortened, minute long version of the trailer on youtube. As the movie and dvd industry is so huge with each cover competing for space, this gives the customer the opportunity to access a quick version of the trailer via a QrTY code in the shop and may just sway a sale. This is a great example of the proper use of the added value QrTY codes have when used correctly. From a user point of view, it’d maybe be better if it linked to a film review aggregator, such as Rotten Tomatoes on Flixster, but obviously you’ll never see this unless the movie is a critical success.

Really interesting and great to see a QR code used in this way, keep checking back to QrTY News for more posts on sights of QR codes in marketing

Have you seen the film? Are there any other dvds you might have seen QR codes used on?

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4Music Using QR Code on TV advertising… you’re doing it wrong!

admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 12:40:46 +0000

After an enjoyable saturday morning out to the local art market with my wife and daughter, we sit down and watch a bit More4. Having lunch and up pops and advert for for the Channel 4 produced music channel 4Music. I don’t know what the advert was specifically, as I was too busy eating, but it was my wife that was suddenly trying to find the remote to pause it. Why? Because they’ve added a QR Code to one of their adverts. Take a look at the pic below – there is it on the left side contained in a old-style television set (I’ve added a close-up of the code at the bottom of this post so you can scan it for yourself).

With anything QR Code related, the office bunch here at QrTY get rather excited, especially seeing them being used in the mainstream media. Sadly though, there’s a couple of reasons why 4Music have missed an opportunity to really make good use out of this rapidly emerging technology.

In the last 6-12 months you may have noticed a huge increase in the use of QR Codes and marketing, Mothercare, Boots, B&Q, but the major mistake most businesses have fallen foul to is not utilising the codes for the real added value they can have. Do not link your code through to just a normal website, this defeats the object. Every QR Code (or as we like to call them QrTY Codes), give or take, is going to be scanned using a smartphone. So why not create a page specifically designed and optimised to take advantage of the fact that this is a known constant?

The 4music QrTY code links through to a secret – or as they call it a ‘treat’ page – which is just a standard page on their 4music website. The opening paragraph reads ‘Yay! Well done, you tech-savvy 4music.com lovers! You spotted our not so secretly hidden QR code and because we heart you, we’re giving away an amazing free gift…’ with nothing added to the page for the smartphone user. To solidify the missed opportunity point even further, the comment section has a reader error (depending on your phone) as you need to have Flash installed to use. We all know the problems with Flash and smartphones…

Maybe the problem is that very few companies have taken the time to properly understand QR codes and have tried to introduced them in fundamentally flawed ways. As in the 4music example – linking QR codes to traditional websites. This then leads through to the end user (your target audience) who has the frustration with QrTY codes as they see no benefit in their application.

With the rising promotion of these easy to use and elegant codes is that when done correctly, can really work to your advantage. They are by no means the holy grail of advertising, marketing and communication, as there must be a strategy in place when utilising them.

Give it a try – scan the code below (there’s links here for you to download one of the many free apps).

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