Editors and Print Industry Pundits, let be Critical on 2d for Ubiquity in Print.

 

“Disrupting the Future” by Dr. Joe Webb is a good read on the past, present and the possible future of print and how digital technology will continue to change print. One suggestion that supports industry trends and what GossRSVP and others have been promoting is to use quick response codes, or any other open standard 2D barcode, to enhance print as a communication media. However, before 2D codes can become ubiquitous in print, three items need to be addressed and your critical input to help address them is requested. The three items are; the need for publication tools that integrate and track quick response codes seamlessly, the size of the code and the cell phone devices that interact with them.

 

This letter to you is about technology to connect our physical world, including print!  E-readers, tablets, pads, etc all take the consumers directly to the Web while industrial hand held scanner phones engage the user first with their physical world before connecting to the internet. Herein lays the problem and a great opportunity for print communications. 

 

The problem is digital device manufactures don’t really care about print communication, which is very short sighted. While we must apply new cost effective and relevant tools to reach the digital consumer, print continues to play a vital role which studies by McPheters* and others continue to show. I applaud these device manufactures for such digital convenience in reading web content, but as of yet they have not understood the opportunity that exist by engaging the consumer with the physical world of print.

 

The opportunity is already proven through business solutions such as, inventory, logistics, mail sorting, package shipping, retail, ticketing, etc, all of which use handheld scanning devices. All these handheld devices use light assisted scanners, and they eliminate the need to enter codes. They provide valuable data mining, tracking, immediacy of information, and can connect to the Internet. They use industry proven technology with proven business revenue models to scan the smallest of codes in the worst of conditions nearly 100% of the time.

 

The print industry can not and should not wait for digital device manufactures to provide print communication solutions. Just imagine if everyone could just point their cell phone at anything in print and instantly engage with it or be taken to the Internet? With such devices the fulfilment and interactive possibilities from the physical world of print are endless. However, to make 2d codes acceptable and ubiquitous in print, they must to be small, unobtrusive and integrate with the image. Today, ¾” or 20mm-sq bar codes or larger are a good start but a novelty at best. 

 

Today’s cell phones are not designed to scan 1d or 2d codes as most do not have a macro lens and other required hardware component therefore the scanning process does not work reliably enough for wide spread reader adoption. In low lighting conditions scanning is nearly impossible. Additionally, if there are more than a dozen characters within a 2d code, the density of the code is almost impossible for most cell phones to decode. Such is the current poor experience with most consumer phones scanning 1d & 2d codes, but it does not have to stay this way.  

 

Cell phone and Smart phone providers today provide software as a solution to scanning 2d bar codes. For 2d bar codes to become ubiquitous within print, the solution is not software. The solution is with hardware. The technology exists today with commercial hand held scanners. What is needed in a consumer phone is a low cost, light assisted scanner that scans small high density codes, 4-6 mm-sq, 100% of the time. i.e. scan here > n for additional info & to connect to the net.

 

As Wi-Fi becomes available many places for free and smart phones are capable of accessing this free service, consumer interaction with printed 2d codes is likewise often free. So none of the solutions here add to the cost of print, rather they only enhance its value.

 

Print is already a “World Wide Web” in itself & it’s ubiquitous.  Print will be even more dynamic as cell phones become true scanning devices and front end publishing & creative tools have interactive code features built in. True scan phone technology is available today to change the digitally unconnected print industry, but it will not evolve unless those vested in print communications band together and make the case. 

 

Please join us in making it known to cell phone manufactures that current cell phone technology is inferior for scanning small high density 2d codes. In addition, consumer products to connect the physical world & print are needed which give the consumer a great experience and work nearly 100% of the time.

As print industry experts I encourage you to write about such needs, start using text and 2d codes, and start demanding that your print creation software providers integrate text and 2d codes as a fore thought in publishing, editorial and ad content creation tools. Text and 2D codes can automatically link any print content via an open API standard to any short code, internet, or wireless connectivity. 

GossRSVP is one of the leading mobile marketing solution providers developing automated print connectivity, a whole new untapped area for print communications. We welcome you and your software providers to join us in making ubiquitous print connectivity a reality.

Join our new LinkedIn Group called “Critical on 2d for Ubiquity in Print” to show your support, state your opinion and give feedback to this movement. Collectively let us not wait for change, rather let us make the print communication needs and possibilities known to engage device and cell phone manufacturers to capitalize on these opportunities for the advancement of print communications.

Here are just some of the few “Possibilities for Print Communications”! 

Just Imagine, the Possibilities for Print:

- world wide web of print, wwwp://  new search algorithms ?

- insert small 2d codes with any publisher software or others office tools

- embedding 2d codes as standard items in document creation, not as after thought

- every sentence, paragraph, page or picture can be digitally connected to the net

- any print article can be embedded within a 2d code to scan it and take it with you to read

- advertiser can direct consumer to targeted offers or info efficiently to minimize phone data cost

- any print item instantly shared with any social media group, etc

- 2d codes can act as micro ads within branded full page ads

- 2d codes with embedded URLs, to connect one to more info on any article

- coupon & incentives scanned from print to phone or to loyalty cards

- all consumers earn value with the their scan phone, it’s hip and it’s cool

- methods to engage younger digital consumer to interact with print

- older persons are not on the net, now just point their phone and they are

- any product can be digitally connected for interaction with the consumers,

     i.e. product specs, info, cost, ingredients, how to, compare, etc.

- buy on the spot from print, and have it sent to your home

- scan and reserve or buy your movie ticket, train ticket, etc. from print

- scan and bank loyalty points for any program.

- packaging logistics interface with scan phone to accept delivery, etc.

- learn more about an author, an artist, photographer from the print article

- every scan is tracked providing metrics to system users

- learn what others are scanning in other parts of the country, or world

- make all print articles dynamic for real time content updates after published date

- use consumer data to produce targeted print ads and internet ads

- applies to the 100% of low end phone market, not just the ~10% smart phones

- Scholastic Books, read to engage with your phone

- language conversion for any piece of text for any printed item

- scanners can be applied to mp-3 & Ipods, etc

- make all print articles dynamically linked forward, i.e., update content real time when reading

- expand for industry specific applications, i.e., travel, hotels, sports etc.

- scanning print, a driver to increased online ads & sales

- a print ad could complement and lead someone to an internet ad

- On-line spending >> On-Print spending (see it in print, buy it)

- design print ad & articles to “scan-shop” from print (see it in print, buy it)

- when has your cell phone ever paid you? Get an ROI with your phone

- etc., the possibilities are endless…

  

By Roger Belanger, Director, GossRSVP  

Roger.belanger@gossinternational.com

1-603-767-2511   

   

*Sources:  MRI, McPheters & Company Analysis;

TVB, Nielsen Media Research Custom Survey 2008

“When costs are taken into account, print yields a much lower cost/effective exposure than either television or the Internet”. McPheters, 2009  http://mcpheters.com/