[Digital Grandad] Will QR codes ever take off here?

by Mr QR Just-maybe. Dear Digital Grandad, we are a SME and been around for decades selling products B2C. But my MD has just asked me to consider using QR Codes in our Marketing, as his son (graduate from overseas), think’s it is so cool and thinks we are so behind to the rest of the world and not seeing the trend or being innovative! Firstly I am not too sure what it is and if it any good? Please help Grandpa

Regards
Mr QR Just-maybe

There’s nothing like a back-seat marketer in every company. Ask your MD to give me a call and I am more than happy to speak to his graduate son and tell him a few things about marketing, life in general, and the birds and bees before he starts throwing around one-liners to egg on his dad. Before his dad gets egg on his face!

Let’s get local

So, Mr QR Just-maybe, let’s get to the basics and firstly understand that South Africa is not like the rest of the world. Just take our smartphone penetration — 80:20, the other way around.

Media Future: LG is back

LG has long lagged behind Samsung in the smartphone market, but the new G Pro marks a convincing return, writes Arthur Goldstuck (@art2gee)

Do you remember LG? If you do, it’s possibly because you have a TV set, washing machine or air conditioning unit carrying that brand. And then you’d know that it goes hand in hand with the slogan, “Life’s good”.

That’s not really what LG stands for, of course; it began life as a merger of the Lucky and GoldStar brands, and the Life’s Good handle is what’s known as a backronym.

Now LG wants to go back to the future it had envisaged for itself before its Korean compatriot at Samsung became the behemoth of cellphones.

Media Future: Life left in Microsoft – and Nokia

Microsoft finds itself in the uncustomary role of underdog, but that only tells part of the story, says SA managing director Mteto Nyati in discussion with Arthur Goldstuck (@art2gee).

The one-time all-conquering giant of software, Microsoft, is suddenly finding itself performing an uncustomary role: that of underdog. Aside from a share price that had reached a record low earlier this year, it has also been taking a public relations beating.

The launch of the new Windows 8 operating system (OS) late last year did not set the market alight with new respect, and its recent unveiling of the specifications for the Xbox One entertainment device was vilified for the restrictions it placed on users.

For many companies, that would spell doom. In the past, that kind of response to previous products did indeed cast gloom into the hearts of all at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond near Seattle.

Nokia re-invented in South Africa

Nokia have embarked on the road to restoring the brand’s image in South Africa. Gerard Brandjes, Nokia General Manager for East and Southern Africa, discusses the challenges with ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK.

Online CPD Courses Psychology Online CPD Courses Marketing analytics software Marketing analytics software for small business Business management software Business accounting software Gearbox repair company Makeup artist