It’s hard to believe it is already December, which means many marketing professionals are busy planning January marketing campaigns. Beginning this month, we are going to post a monthly blog providing ideas for incorporating QR codes into your marketing campaigns. Ideas are categorized by themes appropriate for the month. You may see an idea that you can apply directly to your business. Or perhaps reading the blog will inspire you to think of a related idea applicable to your industry. Whichever the case, we hope our January QR code campaign ideas help to make your month a success.

Theme: New Year’s Resolutions - Health

Sample Industries: health insurance, life insurance, hospitals and clinics, fitness centers, weight management, food manufacturers, pharmaceutical

- Consumers could be mailed a newsletter of health tips with QR codes linking to a video demonstrating various exercises or to an exercise management mobile site.

- Fitness centers could place QR codes on fitness machines or adjacent to a track linking users to an exercise management mobile site where users can log reps, weights, level of difficulty, pedometer steps. The site could be linked to social media so the user could brag about their accomplishments to their friends.

- Food manufactures and / or weight management programs could place QR codes on diet food packages that when scanned automatically log the calories consumed on a weight management mobile site.

- Smoking cessation products could contain QR codes linking patients to motivational videos or ways to obtain support. The site could be linked to social media so the patient could brag about how long they have been smoke-free.

Theme: New Year’s Resolutions – Getting Finances Organized

Sample Industries: financial services, insurance

- Consumers could be mailed a newsletter with tips for organizing finances, budgeting, or investing with QR codes linking to online banking tools, investment tools or customer portals.

Theme: New Year’s Bowl Games

Sample Industries: food and beverage manufacturers, grocery retailers, bars and restaurants

- Food and beverage manufacturers could incorporate QR codes into a bowl-themed contest. QR codes could be placed within packaging with customers scanning their code to see if they are a winner.

- Bars and restaurants could place a QR code at each table during bowl games. Customers could scan the code at the end of each quarter to see if they are a winner.

Theme: Safe Winter Driving

Sample Industries: auto insurance, car manufacturers, car dealers, auto repair

- Consumers could be mailed a newsletter of winter car maintenance tips with QR codes linking to videos on winter defensive driving.

Theme: Fireplace / Heating Safety

Sample Industries: home insurance, home improvement, residential real estate, residential construction

- Consumers could be mailed a newsletter of heating safety tips with QR codes linking to videos on how to prepare your fireplace for use, how to check your furnace, or the code could link to a site for purchasing a CO detector.

Theme: Friday the 13th

Sample Industries: bars, restaurants, nonprofits

- Consumers could be mailed an invitation to a Friday the 13th bash or a benefit with a QR code linking to a form to sign up for VIP passes or to purchase tickets.

- Bars and restaurants could place a QR code at each table for customers to scan and see if they won a discount off their bill, making the 13th their “lucky day.”

Theme: Martin Luther King Day

Sample Industries: museums, nonprofits, tourism

- QR codes could be placed at Martin Luther King historic sites or throughout an exhibit with links to video clips of Dr. King’s speeches.

Theme: Chinese New Year

Sample Industries: restaurants, museums

- QR codes could be placed at a restaurant table with a link to a site for customers to find out their Chinese zodiac sign and see which celebrities share their sign.

- QR codes could be placed throughout a Chinese exhibit with links to video clips of Chinese New Year celebrations.

Of course, in order for any campaign containing QR codes to be a success, you need to ensure that the codes work. Be sure to follow key QR code specifications and test your codes across multiple devices. Remember also, to plan for how you will retire the QR codes you deploy.

* For more information on how to use QR codes effectively, sign-up for QR Code Tips and Tricks.

So now you have a jump start on marketing campaigns for 2012. What other ideas do you have for incorporating QR codes into January marketing campaigns?