Complete Bombardment: 2D Barcodes and Smartphone Apps

Well, Ballyhoo Mobile has been talking about 2D barcodes for a while now. Recently I wrote about how the use of 2D barcodes experienced a 700% increase in just part of 2010. I've posted pictures of 2D barcodes being used on billboards, in print, and on the web.

Over breakfast this morning, a short 30-minute window, I encountered an astonishing EIGHT aggressive uses of the smartphone to either increase brand awareness/loyalty or drive direct sales.

In reading The Philadelphia Inquirer I came across two 2D barcodes uses and an article on the cover of the business section about smartphone dominance.

I moved on to The Wall Street Journal and noticed the article "Y U Love Texts, H8 Calls" on the cover of their Personal Journal section.

I then browsed a recent GQ to find a Snickers promotion allowing consumers to text a code from inside a Snicker's wrapper to a short code, which then donates one meal to fight hunger.

At the same time I have The Today Show on in the background. At the moment, they were highlighting "outrageous holiday gifts from Neiman Marcus." Before ending the bit, they take a large amount of time to share details of Neiman Marcus' new iPhone app. This had all taken place inside 20 minutes and it was then that I decided to snap photos of each encounter and write about this mobile marketing dominance of my morning.

In true marketer fashion, I quickly moved from print to the web and hit CNN. Perhaps my eyes were now peeled for more examples, but I instantly noticed a banner ad for CNN's new Election App AND a banner ad for Sephora's new iPhone app.

Below please find both photo snapshots of the print examples and screen shots of the web examples. Being in the mobile marketing industry and owning a mobile marketing company, this was a fun morning for me!

Let mobile marketing live long and strong!