Month: May 2012

Tesco launches Jubilee pop-up shop using QR and AR

/ Mark Brill / 4 Comments

As one of the first retailers to create a more virtual shopping experience in Korea, Tesco have been ahead of the curve. They have just launched an F&F pop-up shop for the Jubilee in London’s Covent Garden, which will be open until the end of the Jubilee weekend. Users can try on clothes in the store, but can’t take them home there and then. That’s because the shop has no tills. Instead, users scan a QR code and pay through their online site for collection the following day from the nearby Tescos or home delivery in 2-3 days. Alternatively, there are iPad pay points, which customers can to make their purchases.

Do people really scan QR codes?

/ Mark Brill / Leave a comment

This is a question I am often asked by people who don’t work in advertising agencies (ad agencies like to assume that most people do scan codes). The answer to that question is … well, it depends. Or if you want to put a figure on that, it’s 14.5% of Smartphone users in Europe scan QR codes, according to comscore. That’s not a lot of people (say, 7% of the population), but it appears to be growing. I have blogged extensively about how and when codes should be used, but an interesting set of stats from the research company confirm that print – magazines and newspapers – is the most used media (50% of scans). Next most used was packaging at 38% and websites (strangely) at just under 29% of scans.

As with any technology, QR has it’s place (it’s place seems to be in print and packaging) and both the engagement and audience must be correct. I have conveniently split some examples into QR Fail and QR Success on Pinterest if you want to see how best to use them or see the comscore stats for more info.

UK Cookies Regulations: Today’s The Day

/ Mark Brill / Leave a comment

Officially, 26th May 2012 is the day that the UK regulators will be enforcing their 2011 update to the PECR, which requires companies to take opt-in consent for tracking information (including cookies) on websites. The regulations were actually updated one year ago, but the regulators gave businesses 12 months to get their house in order before they started enforcing it.

That’s the theory, at least. In practice, it seems that very little has been done by companies. Whilst most have been carrying out cookie audits and updating their privacy policy, very few have been taking opt-in consent. Many have decided to use the ‘implied consent’ route. What that means, is that by using a website with a clear privacy policy, a user has given their consent implicitly. That’s certainly not what the regulations say, but given that some of the governments own sites have gone this route, it will be interesting to see there is any enforcement by the ICO.

That’s on desktop, but what about mobile? It seems as if most companies have forgotten about this. One fine example of an opt-in window on desktop (I won’t mention any names), was not replicated on mobile. There isn’t even a privacy policy. Yet, the regulations are both device and technology agnostic. In other words, it doesn’t matter how you track (cookies, or in-app) or what’s accessing it (PC, phone or tablet), the regulations are the same.

Clearly, there are long-term issues; business are finding it hard to implement the regulations. When it comes down to it, those that make some effort with cookies are unlikely to fall fowl of the regulators. Those that completely flout it, may not fare so well – the ICO is already contacting some companies about their cookies.

I have written a white paper on the subject of mobile and cookies of the DMA which you can find here: http://www.dma.org.uk/sites/default/files/PDF/Cookies/Mobile_and_Cookies_Legislation.pdf

There’s some good general guidance here: http://www.dma.org.uk/toolkit/countdown-cookie-compliance

And a some further useful advice from econsultancy here: http://econsultancy.com/uk/reports/the-eu-cookie-law-a-guide-to-compliance