Only 23% of Tube adverts with QR codes work on mobiles

What's the point of QR codes on Tube Ads? This was something that Ged Carroll @r_c covered on this blog a while back.  Now both The Next Web and Marketing Week report that only 23% of display ads on London's public transport with a QR code or URL on them actually work on mobiles.


Worst. QR code. Placement. Ever by whatleydude
Jamillah Knight wrote "As few people are likely to shoot a QR code with their laptop while they are in transit, it begs the question, if so much money is thrown at advertising around the capital, how could this have been missed?"

As Tim Ocock of Steely Eye writing for Marketing Week rightly points out, “We can’t imagine the designers of these ads really expect people to write down the URLs to check later at home. Even when QR codes are used they are rarely practical to scan on a busy Tube concourse – but you would think that anyone putting a QR code on their ad, as some of the afore mentioned culprits do, would be expecting visitors to be browsing on their phones.”


US Subway ad with QR Code by littlelazer121Steely Eye have an app called “Works on Mobile” for iOS and Android that helps to identify where bad mobile advertising exists. Admittedly mobile marketing linked to physical advertising is at an early stage but , there are things that would make the process a bit easier. Not putting QR codes in strange places like across platforms in the Whatleydude's photo above at Kilburn Park Tube, and at least having a mobile site to go to would be a good start.

So, what do you think?  Do you use QR codes on the move or at Tube stations?  Have you seen people trying the scan the ones above other people's heads? How many QR codes on Tube ads that you managed to scan actually then worked on your phone? 

Related Posts
The futility of QR codes on Tube adverts
London Overground Stations to get WiFi in time for Olympics
Virgin Media win London Underground wi-fi contract