SB and QR (Read on if puzzled)

A QR code, also known as a “Quick Response” code, is the newest innovation in product marketing. These codes are popping up all over the media, including magazines, restaurants, and of course the book industry. These codes are squares with a unique pattern made up of black components on a white background. This code can then be scanned by smart phones. It works similarly to a regular barcode found on any and all merchandise, but is exclusively for smart phones that have a camera with the ability to identify the code.

Generating these codes is relatively easy as we found out here at Savas Beatie. You simply need access to a QR code generator such as Qurify or Delivr. All you have to do is plug in the URL you want to advertise. So in our case, if we want to advertise a specific book and want to direct people to the book page on our website, we just need to input the URL that is specific to that book and hit submit. It really is that simple! Then a pixilated square is generated for you to download and use however you wish.

These codes are also great because they have the ability to be tracked. We found out that Delivr allows you to generate your QR codes and then save them in a database to be tracked. Then, when the QR code begins to circulate and people start scanning the code, we can go in to see how effective the code is in producing awareness about our titles. As an example, here is a code that leads to our website homepage:




*Special thanks to Lindy Gervin for her early work with QR codes in the SB office!