Plants with QR codes are popping up in garden centers for spring.

 

When we scanned the tag for the MiniFamous™ Compact Orange Calibrachoa (aka Mini Petunia), we were directed to BloomIQ — a generic online tool for gardening — instead of planting or care information for the specific plant we scanned. It was a little bit of a let down considering the potential to educate, sell, and cross-sell products.

Unfortunately, the most unsettling part of the marketing flop occurred when we returned to the office to write this post. The name of the plant above, "MiniFamous™ Compact Orange Calibrachoa", is not searchable within BloomIQ database. To find the correct plant info, the user must search "Petunia" or "MiniFamous".

 

Just because you can add a QR code to your promotional materials, does not mean you should.

 

Gone are the days when a color or single trend will make or break a year. Things move too fast for magic wands or fairy dust.

 

Understanding and executing on trends are key elements on creating an inspirational journey. In an ever changing market, it is more important than ever to know the triggers that will cause your customers to open their wallets. The development of products and services centered around the most viable trend must work in tandem with value, design, and quality to ride the wave of acquisition and adoption. People are willing to spend if you give them the right incentive at the right time.

 

This week we created forward-thinking intelligence for two firms focused on delivering value and quality in the digital arena. For Medium we created a 2012 Forecast outlining for key trends for building successful brands. Themes of the post include concepts like cultural consciousness, smart commerce and less-ism. You can access that content free of charge here.

 

Secondly, we shared some social media tips and tricks with the team at Pluggio.com. The interview outlines what drives consumer culture when building out a digital brand and is a must read for businesses dedicating more resources to new media in 2012. That interview is available online here.

 

This is just a snapshot of what we track and we understand that, for many of you, our free content is enough to keep you going in 2012. In addition to our subscription services, we'll be hitting the road to talk about how trends are shaping the changing future. If you want to connect with us IRL (In Real Life), drop us a line or check back for an updated listing of conferences and speaking engagements.

 

 

 

A compilation of the best, relevant, and interest-worthy ideas and news from the past week...

 

CULTURE

- Is “Content and Commerce” the future? As magazines & retail converge, where will the editorial line be drawn?

- NYC needs this: Virtual grocery shopping via phone using QR codes at subway stops in Prague.

 

 

FASHION

- Watch out Pinterest, PPR just invested $10m in Joe Einhorn’s company new website: The Fancy. (follow or re-pin @trendscaping on Pinterest)

- As Marc Jacobs-Dior talks halt; Fashionologie reports that Alexander Wang, Raf Simons, and Jason Wu are now being considered.

- According to IBM’s Coremetrics Benchmark, Mobile retail traffic projected to more than double this holiday season.

 

FOOD

- Starbucks, acquiring juice brand Evolution Fresh, will attempt to do with juice what it did with coffee.

- No surprises here: 2012 food trends, including the rise of Korean food trucks and fine dining, focus on consumer need according to Nation's Restaurant News. 

 

We've got a new obsession that does not involve exceptional shoes, the rise of mini pastries, or exceptional retail experiences... The QR code.

 

In the weeks since we posted statistics on who is currently scanning these funny little codes, it has become more apparent how this trend has potential for greatness once executed flawlessly. And since we're far from experts in this digital space, we decided to turn to our go-to experts: Uzi Askenazi and Julie Askenazi of Medium.

 

What is the future of QR codes?

Uzi: QR codes offer great potential for brands and retailers, but consumers, particularly female consumers, have been slow to embrace them. Unfortunately, a fair percentage of QR integration appears to be initiated for trend purposes more so than retail use, as evident by poor placement or linking to websites that are not mobile-optimized.

 

Uzi and Julie, how can a campaign appeal to a female demographic?

Uzi: Macy's "Backstage Pass" campaign is a great example of integrating QR codes into a retail promotional strategy.

 

Julie: I also really like the Macy’s campaign, because it’s not just making great use of current technology, it’s leveraging their celebrity partnerships and presenting new, unique content to consumers — while complementing the brand identity. By insetting the QR codes into the red stars they’ve made new technology friendlier and as a result, customers are more likely to engage in the campaign.

 

We would love to see more campaigns integrate design and QR codes effectively. Unfortunately, 27% of the QR codes we scanned in the November 2011 issue of InStyle failed. If you see a great example that you would like to share, please tweet it to us or post it our our facebook page.

 

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Uzi Ashkenazi and Julie Ashkenazi are co-founders of Medium— a strategic eCommerce and online marketing studio dedicated building unique, compelling and successful brands with cohesive design aesthetics and analytics.