2D Bar Code Strategy

To the loyal readers of the blog, as well as first-timers, thank you for your support and interest in my work throughout the past year. It is my sincerest hope that my writings about 2D barcodes, and strategic marketing in general, have been of use and value in your day-to-day work.

Over the past few days, I have been reviewing campaigns for the Best Mobile Barcode Campaign Award, and look forward to sharing the results with you next week. Stay tuned.

Again, thank you for your support and may I wish you and yours a Happy New Year!

As I have written in the past, sometimes I like to share a story, idea, thought, opinion, etc. that is not 2D barcode related, but strategic marketing and/or general business related. Here's another such story.

"360i is an award-winning digital marketing agency that drives results for Fortune 500 marketers through insights, ideas and technologies. 360i helps its clients think differently about their online presence and evolve their strategies to take advantage of the new world of marketing communications -- one where brands and consumers engage in interactive and multi-directional conversations. 360i was selected to Ad Age's Agency A-List and Fast Company's roster of the "World's Most Innovative Companies." Current clients include Oreo, jcpenney, Coca-Cola, NBC Universal and Diageo, among others." These words, which were taken straight from the agency's website, sound impressive, don't they?

As impressive as the description may sound and how distinguished the description may make the agency appear, what I find so very remarkable about this agency is that they do not have a mobile presence. Type the company's URL (www.360i.com) into a mobile device and you are brought to the desktop version of the company's website, there's no auto-redirect to a mobile site. Search on the term "360i mobile" and the closest you will get to anything mobile is a link to a document the company published some time ago titled "Mobile Marketing Playbook," which serves to define the mobile channel and describe why the channel is so important for companies to be in and pay attention to. Odd isn't it? For a company so entrenched in the digital space, entrenched enough that other companies come to them for advice, guidance and solutions with respect to the "new world of marketing communications" that they themselves do not have a presence in the newest space of marketing communications, that being mobile.

Although I single-out 360i here, there are plenty of other organizations, across industries, that profess to be leaders, innovators, creative thinkers, on the cutting edge, etc., but they have yet to invest in mobile marketing. Why is that?  Where's the disconnect? If I can take a stab at it, I believe a large part has to do with the fact that companies see mobile marketing, as well as many other forms of marketing, as an expense rather than an investment. Is it an expense or an investment to learn about, understand, develop and maintain another marketing channel, by which additional business can be conducted/transacted, customer interaction/engagement can take place and the brand can make its presence known? Not in my mind. Is there an "expense" to establishing a mobile website, content, etc., sure there is, but which is greater, the "expense" itself, or the "expense" of missing out on an opportunity the likes of which the mobile channel offers and represents?

I am very interested in asking 360i why they have no mobile presence and plan to forward this post to their Director of Marketing. Frankly, I can't even imagine what the answer might be, but if I get one I will certainly share.

Mobile is here folks and it's becoming, if it's not already, the first screen. Disregard it at your own expense.

This print advertisement by Columbia Sportswear is an example of how a 2D barcode campaign should be done.And, yet, it is so simple.



The QR Code is well-placed in the ad and features a simple, but direct call-to-action, which reads, "Scan to learn more." Also mentioned next to the code is a URL address, which directs consumers to a web page that discusses the product/technology being shown in the ad. Note: the web page redirects, meaning that the consumer will either be directed to the desktop version or the mobile version of the page, depending on the platform being used. Brilliant.


When the QR Code is scanned, the consumer is linked to the company's mobile website, specifically the page for the product being promoted in the advertisement. Included on this page is detailed information about the jacket, price, style number, videos of the jacket in action, color/size offerings, 1-800 number to call to order (with hours of operation), a ton of customer reviews and a add-to-cart shopping function...yes, think of it, you are on the go, like the jacket and can make a purchase right then and there. Brilliant.

With respect to the mobile site itself, the main navigation touch points are: men, women and kids, as well as the outlet, a channel that is ever increasing in importance for many brands and retailers. Also, depending on the screen, navigation points for footwear, accessories, stores and rewards are available. Brilliant.

With nothing so very earth shattering in this campaign (i.e., innovative, cutting edge, etc.), Columbia does manage to get the QR/mobile experience right, from end to end. The only comment/suggestion I would have is that instead of using a long URL to generate the code, hence the code's dense appearance, I would recommend shortening the code. Although I had no difficulty scanning the code, a less dense and more simple code would reduce the chance of scanning failure.

2D Barcode Litmus Test: PASS

Only three days are left to nominate what you believe was the best mobile barcode campaign of the past year. With literally a handful of campaigns to judge against (i.e., those that have passed my 2D barcode litmus test), the field is wide open for nominations from advertisers, agencies, mobile barcode providers, mobile barcode fans, your grandmother, anyone.

The cut-off date is Friday, December 23, and all that needs to be emailed is a brief summary of the mobile barcode campaign and images, if available.

Shortly after the New Year, I will announce the Winner of this 2nd Annual awards event. Stay tuned and thank you in advance for your nominated campaign.

Yesterday, an article on Publishers Weekly titled "SnapTags Push Scanning Technology Forward - Move Over, QR Codes" caught my eye, and there are a few items that I question the author, Gabe Habash, on.

First, the title itself. Mr. Habash, how are SnapTags pushing scanning technology forward? As far as I know, the SnapTag technology/user experience is very similar to that of JAGTAG and JAGTAG was developed in 2007.  Yes, SnapTags may be relatively new to the 2D barcode scene, but the technology is hardly cutting edge.

Second, you make reference to the fact that SnapTags can display a corporate logo, but in the same sentence you make it seem as though QR Codes can't. Um, they can. QR Codes can be generated with a corporate logo as part of the code design. Also, the colors which make up a QR Code can be more than just black and white.

Third, you try to make a case for SnapTag's ability to deliver greater reach and accessibility versus a QR Code, but in reality they are much the same. Both code types make use of a reader app, and both offer the ability to engage with users that either don't have a smartphone or who choose not to scan the code. With SnapTags a user takes a picture of the code and sends it to a short code. From there, an email is sent back to the user with a link to the intended content. With QR Codes, the advertiser can include a short code along with the QR Code and, from there, the user will receive a message back with a link to the intended content. If anything, the QR Code eliminates the need of having to take and send a picture of the code itself. So, really, what's the difference?

Fourth, Mr. Habash, you write, "The other benefit of SnapTags is that the content provided is more versatile. While QR codes typically take you to a Web site (and thus require mobile Web access), SnapTags, according to SpyderLynk’s founder and CEO Nicole Skogg, offer a multichannel marketing platform that sends messages to your phone, enabling companies to develop campaigns to deliver sweepstakes, free samples, video, and more." How is this any different than what a QR Code can deliver? QR Codes typically take a consumer/user to a website only because of the limited creativity of the advertiser, not because of the limited capability of the technology.

Mr. Habash, you go on to write, "The first book to use a SnapTag is Jeffrey W. Hayzlett’s Running the Gauntlet: Essential Business Lessons to Lead, Drive Change, and Grow Profits (McGraw-Hill, Jan.). In Running the Gauntlet, a SnapTag is placed at the beginning of each of the book’s 35 chapters, which send videos directly to one’s phone that feature Hayzlett explaining the core concept in the chapter." Wow, that sounds pretty creative, summarizing a chapter at a time. I guess a QR Code couldn't do that. Great that the author wants to make his book interactive, but what about offering something of additional value. Without having read the book, maybe there is something being said within each chapter whereby a next step would be referred to and, if there was a next step that required something to be paid for, maybe a coupon would be offered via the code. Just a thought.

Fifth, you quote the CEO of SnapTag saying the following, “What made this program different [from QR codes] was that it was very focused on the value exchange: what’s in it for the consumer and what’s in it for the brands. Too many QR code programs are only focused on what’s in it for the marketer.” As mentioned above, QR Code programs may be focused on the marketer only because the marketer is focused on him or herself. Again, this line of reasoning has nothing, nothing to do with the technology and everything to do with the way a marketer thinks and/or acts.

Sixth, Mr. Habash, you write, "So far, magazine publishers have harnessed SnapTags more effectively than book publishers." Other than Glamour (see article), what other magazines have made use of SnapTags from a publisher's perspective? I am not aware of any. Maybe this is a question for Ms. Skogg.

It really gets tiring reading one-sided articles like this where the author simply gets it wrong when it comes to 2D technology, let alone QR Code technology. Let's spend some more time doing our homework first, please.

Taleo, the on-demand talent management solutions company, recently launched a print advertising campaign using a QR Code. Seems like the company knows a thing or two about talent management, but less so when it comes to 2D barcodes, mobile and marketing in general.


When the QR Code is scanned, the reader of the advertisement is brought to the desktop version of the company's website. On the website, the reader can either launch a two-minute corporate video, download a white paper and/or subscribe to receive additional white papers and other intelligence. Great that these options are provided, and more or less work on a mobile device, but what if the reader wants to explore other parts of the company's website to learn more. Whoops, hard to do on a mobile phone. Seems like the marketing team just didn't want to go the distance and develop a full blown mobile site.

Nor did the company want to create anything new and different in the way of B2B marketing. This campaign wreaks of ordinary, with nothing imaginative, creative or original. As with most of the B2B campaigns that I have seen, I wonder what the real goal or objective is, and what determines success. Any guesses?

2D Barcode Litmus Test: FAIL

As a follow up to my last post, a few questions for Aaron Getz, General Manager, Microsoft Tag:

1. Now that Tag supports QR Codes, when will Microsoft release the number of Tag Reader apps that have been downloaded?
2. When QR Codes start to get scanned by the Tag Reader app in any great number, will Microsoft report those figures?
3. Did the introduction of Nellymoser's Universal Action Code Scanner have anything to do with this strategic move or vice versa?
4. Other than citing code reader app fragmentation, what else drove the decision to support QR Codes? I'm not a technologist but, isn't it rare that Microsoft would embrace an open source product?
5. Will Microsoft enable the generation of customized QR Codes? 
6. What do you believe will happen to other proprietary 2D codes, namely SnapTag? Is it only a matter of time for them to either fall by the wayside or embrace QR Codes as Microsoft has?

Mr. Getz, thank you in advance for any information that you can share and/or provide.

First, it was JAGTAG. Now, it's Microsoft Tag.

This morning, Microsoft Tag announced that it's supporting QR Codes all in an effort to reduce "the increasing frustration among consumers over not knowing which reader to use for which code (i.e., code reader app fragmentation, as others would term it)." Please. Microsoft's actions, in my opinion, have far less to do with simplifying things for advertisers and consumers and probably more to do with the fact that QR Codes have been eating Tag's lunch for the past 18 months or so.

JAGTAG, which is now owned by Augme Technologies, made the same realization several months ago (see article), and rolled out their own version of a QR Code. Now, the proprietary JAGTAG code is hardly ever seen in the marketplace.

What will this strategic change mean for Microsoft, let alone the 2D barcode industry as a whole? It's too early to tell, but it's sure to ruffle some feathers and have advertisers and code providers alike take notice. Stay tuned.

Last month, Archrival, the youth marketing agency, published the results of a survey they recently conducted titled "QR Codes On Campus." In essence, the agency showed a QR Code to about 500 students on 24 college campuses across the country, and then asked questions like: Can you identify what this is? Do you know how to use it? How likely are you to engage with these in the future? Some of the results to these questions and others indicated that:

• 81% of students owned a smartphone
• 80% of students had previously seen a QR code
• 21% of students successfully scanned our QR code example
• 75% of students said they are “Not Likely” to scan a QR code in the future

While various aspects of the survey's methodology could be questioned, my questions for the agency go straight to some of their comments, which were published on their website (see below).

Archrival: "In the midst of the growing industry pressure to force-feed these barcodes into the marketplace, we noticed a profound indifference being shown to QR codes by the one demographic that can make or break a trend — college students."

2DBS: To the research team at Archrival, where is there "growing industry pressure to force-feed these barcodes into the marketplace?" As far as I know, no one is holding a gun to a CMO's head demanding that a 2D barcode be used in their next advertising campaign. Let's get real, brands and agencies are using codes for any number of reasons, rightly or wrongly, and it's all their own doing.

Archrival: "QR codes do enjoy a high-level of awareness among college students yet only a fraction (21%) could properly scan and activate the code. Why the discrepancy? According to our findings, students simply struggled with the process. Some didn’t know a 3rd party app was needed, many mistakenly assumed it could be activated with their camera, and others just lost interest, saying the activity took too long. This could be why 75% of students said they were “Not Likely” to scan QR codes in the future."

2DBS: Why the discrepancy? I'll tell you why the discrepancy, because marketers/agencies are not willing or wanting to help educate consumers, regardless of age or level of technological experience, about QR Codes and 2D barcodes in general. All they are willing to do is publish a code and cross their fingers with the hope that consumers get it. Were any scan instructions provided in the survey? Of the 21%, would they scan again, do they find codes useful?

Archrival: "These are serious barriers marketers must account for and overcome if they plan on incorporating QR codes into any strategy that targets young consumers."

2DBS: Archrival, must we be so dramatic? The only "serious barriers" or barrier for a marketer to account for and overcome is to develop a 2D campaign which offers value, meaning, relevance and benefit via scan resolve content that can be delivered seamlessly from end to end (i.e., from the moment the code is first seen on a printed page to the time the whole 2D/mobile experience ends). And, this goes for any and all age groups, not just the youth market. Is cost a barrier? Maybe. Is technical capability a barrier? Maybe. Is internal resources a barrier? Maybe. Is the development of a mobile website a barrier? Maybe. If and while all of these can be considered as barriers, my response to a marketer is that unless these other types of barriers can be overcome then don't bother using 2D technology. (Oh right, but there's that industry force-feeding again, so what difference does it make?)

Archrival: "Remember, when it comes to trends, especially those in the tech fields, adoption doesn’t trickle down to college students but rather the other way around. The college campus is what drives our popular culture — always has, always will. Without adoption or buy-in from this segment, a product will continually struggle for relevancy."

2DBS: Not for nothing but, who owns the majority of iPads and/or tablets in the U.S.? Studies by comScore and Nielsen indicate that the majority of owners were older than college age. To me, it doesn't seem like the iPad, or tablets in general, are struggling for any kind of relevancy.

Archrival: "Unless QR codes become easier, more nimble, and can provide content that engenders a more meaningful connection to the brand or product, students will continue to shower them with apathy."

2DBS: Frankly, I am not sure how much easier a QR Code can become. Once you know how to scan a code the process is very easy. If it is a matter of getting a consumer, of any age, to scan his/her first code, therein lies the rub. This is when it is up to marketers to take it upon themselves and work to educate the consuming population on what QR Codes are, how to scan them and how useful they can be. Ah yes, the "serious barriers."

Other than the comments above, to Archrival and others, I would say, take this research with a grain of salt and know that as with most anything that's marketing related it's all a matter of trial and error, learn and adjust, overcome and adapt. There are no single or simple solutions, for any target market, product, service or technology, and all 2D technology is is another form of direct response which, if developed and executed correctly, will serve to increase the odds of campaign success (i.e., achieving the desired marketing or sales goal or objective).

Last week, I ordered some items from Diapers.com. When I received the package, there was an insert from Rosetta Stone, the foreign language company, or at least that's who I thought the insert was from at first. Upon closer inspection, the insert was co-branded with Barnes & Noble and when the QR Code on the insert was scanned, it linked me to a Barnes & Noble mobile website.

 
Judging from the insert, it seems as though Rosetta Stone mass produces these inserts and provides space for customization by the retailers that carry their software and materials, or that's my guess. Regardless, the insert is all about promoting and selling Rosetta Stone software.

When I am linked to the Barnes & Noble site, I am brought to a product shopping page that features Rosetta Stone online subscriptions and software packages. When I click on a number of different links on the page, they all seem to go to the company's main website, the desktop version. Why is that? As a reader of the blog once commented, "If you start on a mobile page, end on a mobile page." There is no reason, other than sheer laziness, for a company to link a mobile page to a desktop page. Sure, the company can site cost, resources, development capabilities, time, etc., etc., as to why a full mobile site was not created and to that I say, "rubbish." Either you commit fully to a mobile platform or you don't. Either you want to provide an ideal client/brand experience via mobile or you don't. So, what's the problem?

Overall the company's mobile site offers a great deal of information and enables mobile shopping, but again, why the need to jump back and forth between platforms? With respect to the QR Code, the company, I assume Rosetta Stone, did list a call-to-action (Proven to work. Prove it to yourself.), but no copy as to how to scan the code and what it will link to. Also, with all of the discounts that Barnes & Noble and/or Rosetta Stone seem to be offering, why not make mention of it on the insert to drive additional interest and/or incentive to scan the code and learn more?

With a product such as this (i.e., foreign language software), it seems to me that the scan resolve content could have been much more creative and interactive than just linking a consumer to a simple product page. Why not enable a demo of the product right there and then on a consumer's mobile device? Or let the consumer play a foreign language word or sign game, or offer a chance to enter a contest and win something foreign language related, like a trip aboard. Linking a 2D code to a home page or product page is just another way for marketers to say, "we're lazy," and my question then is, can marketers afford to be lazy?

2D Barcode Litmus Test: FAIL

For an on- or off-line publication such as Adweek, I would like to believe that editorial space is at a premium and that the articles published are reviewed and edited by someone for value and content. Yesterday, I noticed an article on Adweek's website by staff reporter Lucia Moses titled "QR Codes Getting More Use in Magazines" and, as great as it is to read a relatively pro-QR Code (2D barcode) article, I'm troubled by the terms Ms. Moses used and how convoluted the article seemed. Below is the article with my comments interspersed in bold italics.

QR Code Getting More Use in Magazines - Effectiveness remains a question, though

Interactive barcodes have been popping up more in magazines—Meredith Corp. has just announced it had selected Microsoft Tag as the 2D barcode standard across its magazines—but some questions still remain about its impact as an advertising tool.

Mobile barcodes link ads or content in magazines to digital editorial and advertising content when a reader swipes the page with a mobile device. Meredith has already used Microsoft tags in its publications like Better Homes and Gardens, Traditional Home, and Family Circle, and for its part, it claims that of people who snap on the ads, 10 percent to 20 percent view or use the ad in some way. Meredith wouldn't reveal what percent actually snap on its ads though.

Interactive barcodes, 2D barcodes, mobile barcodes, well, which one is it? Microsoft Tag or Microsoft tag? Here again, which one is it? Also, what is it to snap on an ad? Or, do you mean scan an ad? And, what is meant by swiping the page with a mobile device? Does a consumer have to swipe the page or swipe a code? If it's meant to swipe a code, well, here too, what does it mean to swipe, because swiping and scanning are two different things with a mobile device?

GfK MRI Starch recently released data confirming that QR codes, or snap tags, are showing up more in magazine ads.

From January to August, MRI measured more than 72,000 ads. Five percent of them contained QR or snap codes, up from 1.3 percent in the second half of 2010. And the mere presence of the codes seems to get readers more involved with the ads containing them—of those who saw an ad with a mobile barcode, 5 percent took a picture of it with their cell phones.

What's a snap code? Is taking a picture of the code the same as scanning a code, because scanning and picture taking are two different things?

By comparison, 14 percent who saw an ad visited the advertiser's website and 20 percent of readers who saw an ad with a scent strip tried the strip. However, websites and scent strips have been around a long time and people are used to them, whereas QR codes are relatively new and may require the user to download software to access the code.

Yes, a consumer/user may have to download software to access the code, but this has less to do with scan rates than an advertiser first explaining what a code is, where it will lead a consumer and why a consumer should scan a code in the first place. Yes, there is no doubt that the downloading of software plays a part in scanning, but this is the last piece of the puzzle. If it so happens that app download is such an issue, advertisers can simply fix the problem by providing app download information along side the code.

The tags don’t bring additional consumer attention to ads, though. An average of 52 percent of readers read or saw an ad with a mobile barcode—just below the 54 percent who saw any ad.

When you say "tag" are you referring to Microsoft Tag, 2D barcodes, mobile codes, interactive codes, QR Codes, snap tags? So, of the 52% only 5% scanned a 2D barcode? Is that what this report suggests?  

Question to Ms. Moses, while I have not seen the MRI research, the biggest question I have is, how many people were surveyed? It's one thing to know how many ads were reviewed but, what about the people themselves? Was this a national survey, are there demographics to report, is there information about a respondent's experience level with codes, etc., etc.? Again, great that 2D barcodes are attracting attention within the advertising community, but an article such as this leaves a bit to be desired with respect to thoroughness and in depth reporting.

For the players at home, an interesting sidebar, when you look at the article link above you'll notice that AT&T is advertising their 2D barcode products. As of late, I have seen a lot of advertising from AT&T for their barcode program and I wonder if they are gaining any traction in the space.

Last month, the Mobile Marketing Association, a global trade association for the mobile industry, announced the winners of their 7th Annual Global Mobile Marketing Awards for Innovation, Creativity and Leadership, now referred to as "The Smarties," and it is interesting to note that only one campaign out of the 56 winners made use of 2D barcodes, QR Codes to be exact, in any prominent way.

Last week, an article was published on MediaPost Publications by Mark Walsh titled, "NFC To Eclipse QR Codes." In the article, Mr. Walsh repeatedly cites a recent Yankee Group study, which makes the case for NFC and how the technology "will eventually trump QR Codes in terms of usability, security and capacity." Not for nothing, but I believe Mr. Walsh (and Nick Holland, the author of the Yankee Group study) is way off base. Why? Simple. It's not a zero sum game.

As I often tell clients and readers, it's my belief that QR Codes and NFC can coexist in the marketplace, as well as in a marketer's tool box. Between the two technologies, they each have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, and each one may or may not serve to accomplish the goals and objectives of a certain situation or campaign, either standalone or in tandem. Why people feel the need to place "bets" or make predictions on the future of QR Codes, NFC, augmented reality, etc. I have no idea. Sure there is business to be had by QR Code and NFC providers but, from a marketer's perspective, that should not matter, or it should matter less. What should be most important to a marketer is that he/she learns about and understands the capabilities, functionality, cost and best practices that are associated with each technology and how and why either technology can or should be used to establish a remarkable brand/mobile/interactive experience.

Each technology has its own merits but, beyond this, what's really at play is the print to digital experience itself and the content that stands behind the technology. An advertiser can make use of the hottest technology on the market, but if the underlying campaign offers very little to the consumer or is poorly implemented then it will all be for naught and the brand will suffer in the long term.

As a lover of rare and old books, I always enjoy reading through Bauman Rare Book's advertisement found on the back of the Book Review Section of Sunday's New York Times. This week's advertisement featured a QR Code which, when scanned, linked to the company's 36-page digital gift catalogue.


As wonderful as it may be to view a digital publication such as this on a desktop platform, this type of digital output does not work well or even belong on a mobile platform. Yes, the pages (eventually) loaded on my mobile phone, but the functionality that is offered for desktop viewing hardly translates well on a mobile phone. So the question needs to be asked, why did the company's marketing team choose to take the easy way out and just link the QR Code to preexisting desktop content?


While there is little doubt that a lot of time, money and resources went into the development of the company's digital gift catalogue, what's more costly, these development expenses or the cost of disappointing a potential customer with a less-than-ideal 2D/mobile experience and the chance of missing out on a sale? In my mind, it's the latter.

When building a 2D campaign, it's essential to do so from the consumer's vantage point, not the company's and not the marketers, period. If Bauman's marketing team really took the time to view the code's scan resolve content then they would know first hand, and quickly at that, that the scan content in this format simply does not work. Could a mobile website have been created to hold the intended scan resolve content? Yes, it could have been.

2D Barcode Strategy Litmus Test: FAIL

With just a few more weeks left before year end, it's still not too late to submit what you believe is the best mobile barcode campaign for the year. Currently, there are only a handful of campaigns in the running for Best Mobile Barcode Campaign 2011, so whether it's a campaign that your company/agency developed and implemented, or it's a third-party campaign that you believe deserves to be noticed, by all means please nominate the campaign and submit an overview by Friday, December 23rd. The winner will be announced shortly after the New Year.

Thank you in advance for your nomination and may the best campaign win.

In this month's issue of National Geographic Kids, the publisher uses a QR Code to enhance, and bring to life, one of the magazine's feature stories. What I like about this "campaign" is that the publisher has provided children and adults with five simple, yet detailed, steps on how to make use of the QR Code (see second image below). 

When the QR Code is scanned, the child and/or adult is brought to a video, which provides more information about the feature story's main subject...lions. But, after the three-minute video plays, which did have some buffering issues, no links are provided for the child and/or adult to view any other information, either about the subject matter, the magazine, anything. This is one of the biggest fail points of a 2D campaign, regardless of whether or not it's B2C or B2B, when a video is shown, and there are no links to be made or used afterwards. To me, it's almost like starting a conversation with someone and saying hello, but then after that nothing more is said or done.  


The video could have easily been linked to the magazine's website, another video about lions, a page to purchase a book on lions, a discount to a local zoo to see lions in person, a social share widget, etc., etc.

When I first saw the level of detail in the code scan instructions, I thought, great, this publisher gets it, but it did not take long for my excitement to get dashed to pieces. 

2D Barcode Litmus Test: FAIL