Embracing the QR code: a health and humanity perspective
October 16, 2020 | Healthcare communications agency, Humanity, QR codes, health, patient communications, technology
Lately, you’ll be noticing them everywhere – the humble QR code is making a comeback. Once widely adopted in 2011, the codes’ usage had pretty much gone out of fashion until recently when the tech is finally finding its place.
Around the world, QR codes have re-emerged as a simple solution to avoiding physical contact, whether it be looking at a restaurant menu, ordering in a pub, or registering for an appointment. In the UK, their use is set to increase significantly in the months following the launch of the NHS “Test and Trace” app. This app will play a role in managing the virus by giving customers at hospitality venues the option to check in via a QR code and assist track and trace.
A recent consumer survey published by Mobileiron reports that 66.8% of the respondents scanned a QR code this September. This is unsurprising, as previous research on hype cycle showed that as of this year, QR code usage entered a plateau of productivity showing they’re being adopted by the mainstream and their usage will continue to grow.
Currently QR codes can be used to open a URL, download an app, start a phone call, send a text and, importantly, to make a payment. This last use is of particular interest to many brands but especially to charities, as it offers a new way to donate, in an increasingly cashless society.
The use of QR codes in health and humanity organisations
Simple to create, with multiple functions and easy to use, QR codes are a new lead driver that should be widely adopted.
Many companies across the UK have already started to use QR codes as a way a to bridge offline and online. For health and humanity organisations, it’s easy to imagine their use on almost any media imaginable from OOH, TV ads, press ads, merchandise, and street fundraising materials. As their usage has increased, here’s a selection of examples from the real world to get you thinking about how you could incorporate them into your campaigns.
Campaign examples: modern usage
Charities such as The Royal British Legion have decided to join the movement, adding QR codes that lead to make a donation on various of their fundraising materials such as their collection boxes for the Poppy Appeal.
Likewise, for Air Ambulance Week 2020, the codes were also present on the Air Ambulance board materials, providing contactless donation points for anyone passing the ad on the street.
Advertising boards for Air Ambulance Week 2020.
Created with the contactless payment service Thyngs, this ad overcame one of the many new fundraising challenges of 2020 by replacing the usual bucket collection with a COVID-friendly alternative.
Moreover, QR codes are very malleable and can become an integral part of the campaign visual. A great example of this integration is the Red Cross’s fundraising campaign for Japan. Placed in the centre, it’s highly recognisable both as a QR code and as the charity’s iconic logo.
Whilst the QR code itself must be a square, it is still possible to integrate a shape or design within it or to position the QR code at the centre of an image.
An ally to analytics
In addition to being an effective tool to achieve any given call-to-action, the humble QR code is also a great resource to give a better overview of a campaign as it provides real-time data. Indeed, with this bridge between an offline campaign and online call-to-action, the results can be more accurately analysed, providing an additional insight to calculate the campaign’s ROI. With this simple tech, you can trace the number of visits, app installations and donations that have been generated thanks to the code.
In looking at previous offline campaigns that used QR codes, it appears that the responses are promising. Many charities have been able to raise substantial funds thanks to their campaigns and combined use of this tech. Furthermore, health companies have been able to generate leads and website traffic by embracing the simple addition of a QR code. For these reasons, 11 London have been using QR codes in our materials to good effect. How could you integrate them into your next campaign?
About 11 London
11 London is an advertising and communications agency, based in West London. We work in the areas of health and humanity – with organisations, brands or products that improve or prolong life. To learn more about 11 London, please contact: matthew.hunt@11-london.com.
This content was provided by 11 London
Company Details
Latest Content from 11 London
Stories of sickness: applying illness narratives to health advertising
By Dr Stephanie Goley Introduction As advertisers, we know that health and pharmaceutical campaigns hold enormous influence over how the public perceives illness, wellness, and treatment. But too often, our...
Advertising For Women’s Health: Breaking Taboos and Driving Change
Our strategist Stephanie Goley, MSc, PhD takes a fascinating look at how advertising is breaking down stigmas around areas of women's health such as menstruation and menopause - and helping...
Rain Free Days: A Migraine App Shaped by Real Experiences
Rain Free Days® is a free migraine support app created by Teva, 11 London, and the migraine community. It helps users track symptoms, spot patterns, and access personalised resources like...
11 London and B Corp
Three years ago, 11 London became the first UK health agency to gain B-Corp accreditation. CEO and Co-Founder, Matt Hunt reports back on life in the B-List...
King’s College London and 11 London collaborate on health psychology
We’re delighted to announce that we are working in partnership with the Health Psychology department at King's College London. Professor Rona Moss-Morris is working with the agency on a shared...
How we’re making AI a part of life at 11 London
This article talks about how AI is being used more in advertising, showing how it can change the way things are done from planning out strategies to coming up with...
Metahumans – the future of empathetic education?
Technology is moving fast, and here at 11 London we’re moving with it. Now, Metahumans (powered by Unreal Engine 5) are just one of many innovations launching in the digital...
11 London: first UK healthcare agency to be awarded B Corp status
This month – May 2022 – 11 London was awarded B Corp status.
Ad tracking: the end of the road?
As digital marketers, we’ve been closely monitoring the privacy debates between Apple, Facebook and Google over the last two years.
The Eleven guide to NFTs
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have been making waves in the news lately, specifically around the millions of dollars being exchanged for unique digital art assets. Investors have been queuing up to...