QR Code in Malaysia
You may have noticed some strange puzzle-like shapes popping up in many places in Malaysia recently - they’re square, black and white. They look a little like a confused barcode, or black and white Rubik’s Cube, or the Allspark from the Transformers movie.
But what are they? Well, they’re QR codes and if you’ve been bemused by their arrival, let me explain.
What is a QR Code?
‘QR Code’ stands for Quick Response Code. It is a two-dimensional code that is readable by dedicated QR barcode readers, camera telephones, or webcams. It was created by a Toyota subsidiary in 1994, and was designed to allow high speed decode.
Who uses QR code?
The technology has seen frequent use in Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, United States, Italy, and is now making waves in other countries, including Malaysia.
Many Android, Nokia, and Blackberry handsets come with QR Code readers pre-installed - which I think shows that this technology is gaining some traction in the smartphone market. And even if the readers are not installed, QR reader software is available for most mobile platforms, some even for free.
What happens when a QR Code is scanned?
When a person scans a QR Code, he can receive information. Below are 2 examples of QR codes.


The code on the left contains a web URL (www.aidan.com.my). The second code contains a geo location data (Aidan office location). QR codes can actually be linked to just about anything: web content, video, social media, email, instant messaging, SMS, Paypal buy link, music, and more.
Why not just display the information in the first place?
The answer is time and space. Space, because there’s not always room to include all the information. And time, because people don’t always have time to read lots of information.
For example, with a QR code on an advertisement in the street, they could just scan it on their way past and read the full information on their way home later, when they have more time.
QR Codes in Malaysia
With quick response codes, Malaysian businesses and organizations are finding new ways to deliver information or interact with consumers. These are several pictures of QR codes that I took myself:

by the elevator at Sunway Pyramid

Prudential ad on the back of a taxi
Stupid ways to use QR Codes
The fact that QR codes can be linked to just about anything (web content, video, social media, email, instant messaging, SMS, Paypal buy link, music and more) means there are countless creative ways of using QR Codes. But not everyone uses them properly.
Since QR Codes are relatively new, using them can perhaps make you or your company stand out. But using QR codes in the wrong way is pointless and stupid - so I guess you would stand out, for the wrong reasons lah.
1. I recently received a business card from a lady at a conference. But the card had nothing but her name and a QR Code on it. Maybe she was playing hard to get. But clearly she expected me to first scan the card just to get her contact info. Erm no thanks. Isn’t the main purpose of a business card is to help people to contact you?

This is not the actual card I got - I think I’ve thrown hers away
2. I have also noticed a QR code going up on a highway billboard. Why at highways?? When a person is driving at that speed I doubt they are going to grab their phone, open the app, and then scan the code. A person only has like 5 seconds to understand what the billboard is about. So then you end up paying for a billboard where no one takes anything away from it.
The only time a QR code would work on a billboard would be in a big city, where cars are stationary for long periods like at a traffic light or at places with frequent traffic jams, or where there’s high human traffic like at LRT stations where people have to wait or pass by everyday.
There, if you had a billboard or a side of a building that shows the QR code itself and nothing else; I think that would perhaps spark interest. There would be curiosity to know what it says. But then, whether or not people would actually stop to scan it is a different matter. If they do, even if it only takes them to a website, at least you are still reaching people.
Ok enough rambling for now.
















