design stories in everyday things
Korean grocery store uses QR-code and mobile phone to create a unique, convenient grocery shopping experience in subway station.
Instead of going to the actual store, customers can find huge posters in subway stations with picture of the grocery items and their corresponding QR-code. Customer can use their mobile phone to snap the code and place the order, which will be delivered to their doorstep as soon as they arrive home.
Posted in Design, Experience
This is the Google Places window sticker of LABI Shibuya/Yamada Denki which has a QR-code printed on it. I was a bit excited to see that the first time, confusing that with the new NFC-enabled “Recommended on Google Places” tag. Well, it turns out that such touch tag from Google is currently being experimented only at Portland, US, so I was just over-reacting.
Similar to Japan’s own Osaifu-Keitai technology featuring Sony’s Felica system, the Google Places Sticker and Nexus S are also using Near Field Communication technology, which means that data can be exchanged when waving the sensing device near the tag, without any contact. I have previously blogged about a touch-download map in train station in Tokyo. However, with serious marketing push by big telecom like AU and Docomo to Android-powered mobile phones, it might not be such a wild dream to hope that more Google backed NFC applications will be coming to Japan any time soon. There will even be more motivations for Japanese business to use compatible NFC systems if the newly rumored Apple’s iPhone/iPad NFC support becomes reality.
Intro video about “Recommended on Google Places” NFC touch tag and its usage with Nexus S.
Thanks to Google Android that comes with QR-code scanning ability, this once Japan-only barcode technology is now popularized in the western markets as well. I have been following the applications of the QR technology since coming to Japan, such as the QR-code coupon, ad-truck, and nutrition info of McDonalds meal. But now I can see some creative innovations from western companies as well. The following are two services that uses QR-code to track marketing campaign and bridge the gap between physical merchandise and digital world.
Link: http://www.mailchimp.com/mobile/pyow
The idea of Pyow! service is that, storeowner can start a campaign of say 10% off coupon, but instead of printing out paper-based coupons, the storeowner can just email e-coupon with a QR-code to customers, which can later on be used at the storefront either by showing the code on a smartphone or paper print-out to the salesperson. The salesperson will then use the Pyow! iPhone app to scan the code, and get real-time coupon usage of the presented code.
Pyow! QR-code system is tightly integrated into MailChimp’s mail campaign. With this system, storeowner can effectively track the usage of the email campaign for physical merchandises.
Link: http://www.qr-stories.com
QR Stories, a German startup, promises a more flexible utilization of QR-code and location-aware mobile devices. Usage: Storeowner creates social profiles on popular networks such as Facebook, Foursquare and Gowalla. Then go on generates QR-codes from QR Stories that link to different promotion features: link to social profiles, location check-in services, or information above your products and services. Every time a customer uses a QR-code, QR Stories will then track the usage and give you statistics.
Unfortunately I cannot get a beta testing account to try out the service, so the information above is simply based on their website.
Do you see some more interesting use of QR-code? Please let me know!
Posted in Experience
Who can resist a sweet treat?
When I went to Tokyo Designers Week 2010 last week, I found this cute little booth of DND Mirror (designer: 伊東真哉). The mirror design they show is attractive, but what made me stop and look is this candy on the info booth.
This squarely chocolate candy is wrapped in yellow wrap, with a QR-code printed on it. Wow, isn’t that a sweet name card that everybody would LOVE to get?
The maker of this chocolate candy is Decocho.com, or Decoration Chocolate. For ￥2,362 you can print your favorite photos on 45 pieces of chocolate. Just go to their website and use the interface to upload, decorate, and order your personal Decocho. You can find more detail about the web ordering procedure in this How-to page.
You can also order your customized chocolate on their mobile page directly using your mobile phone. You can find the ordering procedure on this How-to page.
I tried to open the mobile site http://decocho.com/m on my iPhone, but have trouble even reaching the page. I guess you must use a Japanese i-Mode compatible mobile phone to use the service.
For more information about Decocho’s products, please visit http://www.decocho.com/pages/shopping.
Right now Decocho only accepts order from within Japan, but I think this product has potential to be a big hit in other countries as well.
Finally, I think the designer made a clever use of the Decocho as a QR-code business card. The complimentary treat would definitely leave a positive image to my mind. That is a perfect business card!
Posted in Design, Packaging Design
This is a mobile billboard truck (ad truck) that roams around Tokyo Shibuya, Japan. On the ad you can see a big QR-code, where people can use their mobile phone to snap it and go to the promotion sites easily. It is probably faster than typing the URL into the phone, since entering English characters on a Japanese mobile phone with num-pad is extremely painful.
