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99% of the top 100 U.S. magazines utilized QR codes in the first quarter of 2012. QR code use in this sector is up 288% over the same period in 2011, showing that publishers are beginning to take the codes more seriously. The report notes that these magazines used at least one QR code, which could be associated with advertising, service promotions, or exclusive digital content that is a companion to the magazine itself.

SHAPE, the leading active lifestyle magazine for women, reached record breaking numbers in mobile sweepstakes entries using a 2D Barcode, such as a Microsoft Tag or QR Code, with its November issue Microsoft Tag campaign.  Commemorating the brand's 30th birthday, SHAPE created with Nellymoser (http://www.nellymoser.com), a mobile marketing company, an interactive sweepstakes offering readers the opportunity to win close to 1000 products throughout the issue.

This celebratory campaign allowed readers to scan-to-win everything from an exercise bike to their favorite mascara, as well as other SHAPE picks featured on the pages of the magazine.

On a quarterly basis, the number of 2D mobile codes in magazines grew from 252 in Q1 to 1155 in Q3 (up 228%).

While there is still some fragmentation in the market among code types used in magazines, QR codes had a 62% share in Q3 compared to 30% using Microsoft Tags, 4% using SpyderLynk SnapTags, and 3% using JagTag solutions. 

Among brands leveraging codes in Q3, Revlon led the pack with 37, followed by Cuisinart with 26, Garnier with 25, Delta with 20 and John Frieda with 19. 

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, five percent took a picture of it with their cell phones.

By comparison, 14 percent who saw an ad visited the advertiser's website

A recent Forrester report, which estimated adoption of QR codes among mobile users increased from 1% in 2010 to 5% this year, noted that the technology has encountered various obstacles to broader use.

These include basic unfamiliarity of what these codes even do, the required step of downloading a 2D barcode reader -- and most importantly for marketers -- disappointing content that turns off potential users. For example, codes that embed long URLs, making them harder to scan, or that lead to content that has not been mobile-optimized and offers little value to end users.

The Yankee Group study also pointed out that QR codes are vulnerable to misuse. What happens when fraudsters place their own codes as stickers on top of legitimate QR codes to obtain personal information by redirecting users to a fake Web site?

Where phones cannot scan

In-flight magazines

On the side of buses

Despite many consumers not knowing what to do when coming across a QR Code a whopping 86% of marketers said they plan to use QR Codes sometime in the future.

newspapers and magazines are where most QR Codes are being found and scanned (35%) followed by on packages (18%) and on websites (13%). Surprisingly few were scanned from billboards (11%) or a piece of direct mail (11%).

“We exceeded expectations with over 190,000 downloads within the first six seeks, a 6% response to ‘Donate $10 Now’ and a 3.9% response to volunteer submissions,” said Bernica Kalan, Marketing Director at GetJar, who helped to implement to QR code campaign.

Some nonprofits are using QR codes in newsletter and other publications  Readers who scan the QR code are taken to a webpage where they can sign up for e-Newsletters or online magazines.

QR codes on the labels of shipped products or invoices can help generate repeat orders and facilitate online payments.

QR codes on postcards can direct potential buyers instantly to an online catalog, optimized for mobile device viewing, to review available products and services.

If your product or service requires a demonstration, a QR code can direct your prospects to an online video.

“43% of online adults said they'd give up beer for a month in exchange for internet access via smartphone.”

In fact, recent research shows consumers prefer mobile browsers for banking, travel, shopping, local info, news, video, sports and blogs and prefer apps for games, social media, maps and music—and that one-in-seven searches now originates from a mobile device.

For mobile, 2012 is the year of measurability.