Barcodes have had a modern makeover and print can bene?t from the redesign

09 September 2009

Print's interaction with online/digital media channels should be of interest to anyone in this industry with an eye on the opportunities presented by evolving consumer behaviours. The 'flick-to-click' model adopted by some retailers, using printed materials to drive customers to purchase online, is one such example that is proving very successful.

There is another area where the connection between print and mobile media can be even more tangible, and that's the realm of 2D barcodes.

Those familiar ‘standard' barcodes found on every item in a typical supermarket shopping basket are 1D and, as such, only contain information in the horizontal direction. Therefore, by necessity they're quite clunky in size. But as the name suggests, a 2D barcode, such as a QR Code, contains information in both a horizontal and vertical plane, meaning more information can be fitted into a much smaller space.

The codes are an increasingly familiar sight and are hugely popular in Japan, which is where the technology originally emanated from back in 1994.

World of information
With a 2D barcode, the consumer uses their mobile phone to access information contained in the code by taking a picture of it. This could result in a number of actions, such as being taken to a specific website, a phone number, or some other interaction.

However, a 2D barcode still requires space and the codes themselves, while they could be viewed as being fairly
funky looking, might not fit in with the design aesthetics of every brand owner. Enter mobile communications giant Nokia, which is currently testing a new technology - Nokia Point & Find - that offers the potential for printers to get involved in some of those much-vaunted ‘beyond print' added-value services.

Point & Find is described as "connecting the physical and digital worlds". By pointing an internet-enabled camera phone at objects, the consumer can be taken to an online world of related content.

The object in question that activates all this could still be a barcode, but it could also be the content of a poster, an advertisement or an article in a magazine, a piece of point-of-sale, or even a physical structure such as a building. The technology will be in beta tests for the rest of this year. It currently works on 40 different Nokia handsets and the number of compatible models has been increased over recent months.

At the moment, users need to download a piece of free software onto their phones in order to activate it, however as of next year, it will come pre-loaded on all Nokia handsets, meaning an estimated 450m devices will be enabled after about 12 months.

The commercial model for Point & Find can be likened to a website. There are no costs to the consumer beyond any normal call or data costs, while the brand owner or end-client pays Nokia a fee for hosting its content.

Beyond that, there are professional services for specifics, such as the design of the directories or worlds, and building in the functionality.

A number of pilot programmes are currently underway, although details are restricted by NDA agreements at the moment. Clients include a leading retailer and travel company. However, Nokia has gone public with a case study from earlier this year when Point & Find was used to create an interactive experience for visitors to London's Camden Crawl music festival in April.

By pointing their phones at posters, flyers and event venues, festival goers were able to access the event's website, receive real-time information on details of venues and band line-ups, as well as additional promotional material, including a free album download.

And here's the opportunity for printing companies - Nokia views publishing, retail and outdoor as three of the core markets for the technology.

The manufacturer is looking for "pioneers and innovators who want to try something new and gain first mover advantage" to get in on the ground floor of the technology's take-up. "We are looking at building a channel, through printers, as a service they can offer," the company has said.