Tired trend: QR codes

QR codes. We've all seen 'em—they look like graphic design gone wrong, and it seems like they are everywhere lately. It begs the question of whether anyone is really gaining value from them?

Although there are some very good uses for QR codes, it seems like companies have started to slap them on everything but the kitchen sink. People have stopped considering whether their user will really find them helpful, which is exactly why we feel they need to go. Here are a few reasons to take caution:

People don't have the technology to make use of them.

You've got to have a smartphone to read a QR code, and at the time of this posting, a quick Google search reveals that only a little over 50% of the US population own smartphones. Thats roughly half the population who won't even be able to use your QR code. But that's not all. Not only does a user have to have a smartphone, they also need to have a QR reader app. I found one source online who proposed that only about 8% of smartphone users have a QR code reader on their devices.

People don't know what to do with them.

Not only does a large portion of the population not have the ability to use a QR code, the fact is that many people just don't know what it is for. I've found this to be true with a lot of the older baby boomers. They aren't all super savvy with technology and many just don't know what to do with that black-and-white checkered box, so they skip right over it. That means, if you've relied on that code as a critical part of your message, this valuable chunk of the population is completely missing it.

Scanning a QR code isn't as easy as you think.

The fact is that scanning a QR code takes several steps. First you've got to have the right equipment (smartphone and QR reading app), if you have that, you need to get our your phone, navigate to the app, launch it and scan the code. That's three steps just to figure out what is hiding behind that ugly black-and-white box. On top of that, you've got to be in a situation where you have a good data connection and can stand still for several seconds in order to scan the code. The chance of someone scanning the code is getting slimmer and slimmer. Consider where you've been seeing QR codes lately—billboards, cars, ads, clothing, and business cards. Of those media, several of them (billboards, cars, clothing) are in motion or at strange angles, meaning they are virtually unscannable by your audience. In the case of the other media (ads, business cards) a QR code is probably more trouble than it is worth. Tell me this, would you rather get out your phone and scan a code to get info off a business card, or would you rather just remember a url?

They're visually distracting.

In addition to all of these functional issues with QR codes, the bold black-and-white checkered box shape is incredibly distracting to any other messaging or branding that surrounds the code. They're really quite ugly and it becomes hard to maintain your brand image when a QR code is in the way. Plus, best practices indicate that a QR code needs to be about one inch square in order to be easily scanned, which makes for a serious design challenge on standard-sized pieces.If all those reasons don't resonate with you, ask yourself this: when is the last time you scanned a QR code? That's what we thought. In fact, while prepping for this post, we discovered that comScore did a study that determined only 5% of the population have ever scanned a QR code. So you're not the only one who has never scanned one.Like we mentioned above, we aren't suggesting QR codes should never be used ever again, they just need to be used at the right time, in the right place.

So when should I use a QR code?

In the few places we've seen QR codes used well, they are implemented as more of an educational tool, rather than a marketing device. They're used to get information about a product that might be out of a customer's physical reach, or as part of a walking tour at an exhibit. They are places where a user has time to digest the concept and gains them additional, extraneous information about something.The fact is that QR codes aren't that useful for users. Plus, you've got to admit they are just plain ugly. Before you slap a QR code on your next ad or marketing piece, think carefully about whether your user will really get value from it, or if you'd be better off using a simple url.

2012 PHXDW poster design submission

As usual, Phoenix Design Week (PHXDW) was awesome again this year! And just like in previous years, they had a poster exhibition where designers could submit their interpretation of this year's theme. The 2012 theme was 'Here and Now,' and I thought it could be fun to submit an entry this year, and so I chose to practice my type by creating a typographic solution.

The poster is called "True to ourselves" and is a commentary on how often we find ourselves wishing we were someone else. This poster is a commentary on being true to the Phoenix community and embracing that as a foundation for our creative community, rather than trying to emulate another city's creative culture. As a visual illustration of this concept, the design integrates Native American symbols in a fresh modern way. The reinvention of these tired, stereotypical symbols so commonly found in Arizona gift shops is a visual metaphor for how the Phoenix design community can reflect on the strengths we possess right now and reinterpret those qualities in order to use them as leverage for our creative future.

What is the lifespan of a logo?

I had my logo designed many years ago, and lately I've been wondering whether I should have it redesigned. How long does a logo usually last before it needs to be redesigned?

It's great that you are taking the time to consider whether your logo and brand image needs to be updated. It is good to consider this from time-to-time, because you are correct that after a while, even great logos need updating. Thankfully the life of a logo tends to be much longer than the life of a website these days, so you won't need to reconsider your logo near as often as you website. As with all things branding and marketing, there is no hard and fast rule about the lifespan of a logo design. However, often you'll find that a good, professionally designed logo should last you about 10 years. Keep in mind that this is the guideline if you'd had your logo professionally designed. If you have more of a do-it-yourself logo design from when you were first starting out, you will probably want to consider having it redesigned as soon as you are making enough profit to make the investment. But before you get started, there are a few things to consider before redesigning your logo.

How much equity is in the logo?

Before redesigning your logo, you'll want to consider how much equity—or recognition—you have in your logo. If you redesign your logo, it will take your audience some time to get used to the new logo, and to recognize you by it. This means, you won't want to undergo a logo redesign on a whim. However, if your current logo is giving your audience the wrong impression, this readjustment can be just the shift that you need to help your audience to start seeing you in the light you wish to be seen in.

How extensive will the adoption process be?

Another thing to consider will be how tough it will be to remove instances of the old logo and replace them with the new logo. Things like business cards, stationery and packaging can be much more affordable than things such as signage. So you'll want to consider the extended cost of redesigning the logo. If a logo design would require more extensive changes, such as signage or office decor, you may wish to align your logo redesign with another company milestone, such as moving offices, renovating or reordering your packaging materials. This way, you can roll your logo changes into these other events, making the logo redesign feel like a natural progression alongside your other steps toward progress.

Do you really need a full redesign?

Another thing to consider is whether you really need a full redesign, or if you can do with more of a retouching or realignment. A logo retouch would mean that the concept of the logo stays in tact, but it is refined in some other way to polish and tighten it up. This might mean updating the color palette, the typeface, or simply reworking the existing composition to be tighter and more solid. For companies that feel they have a good amount of equity in their existing logo, this can be a good way to update without making too drastic of changes.

Tired trend: About pages

You're probably thinking I'm crazy. Did I really just assert that About pages are tired? Why yes I did.

Don't think I'm crazy. I'm not suggesting that everyone has to ditch their About pages. What I am suggesting is that people have gotten to the point where they include an About page by default when they are planning the architecture of a website, and I believe that automatically adding an About page, without considering whether it is truly necessary to your site, is lazy site planning.

In a continued effort to promote simplicity, specifically simpler websites, I would suggest that you seriously consider whether you truly have things to say—that people actually want to hear—on your About page.

So often I see websites that include a summary of the company on the home page, and the exact same content (or nearly the same content) is repeated on a second, separate About page. If you don't have more to say—and remember, the qualifier here is that you need to have more to say that people really want to hear—then you just don't need a separate About page. If you have just a little more to say, there are other ways to solve that problem, such as a modal window or a callout on a complimentary page, that would offer the additional information for your audience to read, in a more appropriate format.

Next time you plan a site, stop and really consider what you need to say about your organization—and what people really want to know about it—before you add an automatic About page.

What is a brand; the sequel

We've written a previous post in an attempt to define branding using an illustration from Breakfast at Tiffany's, however we wanted to write a companion post in hopes to clarify branding a bit more.

Although we help people build their brands all day and all night, it is always tough to describe it when someone asks "what is a brand?" so we've been working on finding a better way to explain this infinitely important concept in a way that is simple and easy to understand. Here's what we've come up with: A brand is a perception.

In context of your organization, a brand is the perception a customer has of your company. Similarly, in context of yourself personally, a brand is the perception someone has of your character. There are two components of a brand: your internal brand and your external brand.

Internally, your brand is who you are at the core—it must be intentionally formed throughout your culture by continually upholding your established values.

Externally, your brand is the impression (or perception) that a customer or prospective customer has of your company.

Weak brands stem from an internal brand that is undefined, unremarkable, and maybe even just plain negative. Because their internal brand is so weak there is nothing to leverage into a memorable experience for their customers. Therefore their customers' perceptions of these companies are that they are vague, boring, or putting on a show (that they quickly see-through). This type of experience is off-putting for a customer and doesn't inspire customers to fall in love with your product or service.

Powerful brands find their strength in first building, strong, remarkable internal brands and then taking deliberate steps to demonstrate that brand throughout each touchpoint with a customer or prospective customer. By deliberately infusing their brand through every interaction—including their logo, website, marketing materials, office decor, customer service, etc.—these companies' customers experience a strong, consistent, memorable perception of what truly drives this organization. This type of experience is a delight for your customer and leaves them hungry for more of your product or service (and often willing to pay a premium for it).

Here at Strong Design, we work hard to further our clients brands. We do this by taking the time to learn about our clients' brands and designing each of their marketing pieces to help accurately shape a customer's perception of them and align the external perception of the company with the remarkable brand that lies within.