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Matrix Barcodes Link to Classic Cocktail Recipes at the LCBO

by Randy Matheson. 5 Comments

LCBO connects Mobile codes to Classic Cocktail recipesMatrix (2D) barcodes have been used throughout the rest of the world enabling users of mobile devices to connect with product sites, contest info, coupons or other additional information.

Unfortunately the experience of using matrix barcodes can sometimes falls short of providing a great digital experience for the user. Issues with the sizing and positioning of the code happen frequently with inexperienced developers. Adequate instructions should always be provided for uninitiated users and even if everything does go perfectly to that point sometimes an unfriendly mobile experience awaits the user at the destination. You can read more about matrix barcodes in this blog post.

In the case of the LCBO the system worked flawlessly. I opened my ScanLife iPhone app and held it about 6-8 inches away from the shelf signage. The code was immediately picked up and my browser was directed to the  recipe for a Gin Martini made with Tanqueray on the Classic Cocktails mobile website. At that point I could easily bookmark that with my browser for reference later.

Cheers to the LCBO and their digital team for such a useful application. Now to make myself a Gin Martini.

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About Randy Matheson

A respected and highly-connected social networker, Randy is Director of Emerging Media + Trends at Delvinia. At Delvinia he performs a leading role in the strategy, planning and execution of digital technologies and social media programs for clients such as Microsoft, RBC, Manulife CoverMe and the Canadian Opera Company. Randy began his career as an illustrator and graphic designer in Nova Scotia, and has been active in digital media development since the early 90s in both Halifax and Toronto. He's often found on the leading edge of technology, playing with 20 or so of the lastest social or digital platforms.
  • Ewan Mcneill

    Delvinia Team. nnThanks for taking time out or your busy day for acknowledging our use of 2D scan codes within the store environment. It is always nice to have your efforts recognized outside of your organization. nnI can’t go into specifics, but this execution of QR Codes exceeded our expectations. We have been experimenting with their use in store and we appear to have ‘cracked the code’. nnWe believe that the success was the result of two elements. First, the adoption and knowledge of the value of the QR code with the general public has not moved at a glacial pace (like we experienced with RSS). Secondly, we provided the customer with a ‘solution’ when they were most likely purchase. Being able to see the cocktail and the relative ease to make, removed the risk and triggered the appropriate action…a sale.nnThanks again.nnEwan McNeill – Director – Interactive Customer Experience – LCBO

  • http://www.randymatheson.com Randy Matheson

    Hi Ewan thanks for replying, “was there a reason you chose the proprietary E-Z Code format by Scanlife rather than an open-source QR code”. Now that more people understand what a QR code is and what it can do, we’re noticing some confusion between the different formats and terms like direct and indirect, proprietary and open source 2d codes. We’re working on an overview of 2D bar codes that we should be publishing as a blog post in the next week. (RM)

  • http://www.randymatheson.com Randy Matheson

    Hi Ewan thanks for replying, “was there a reason you chose the proprietary E-Z Code format by Scanlife rather than an open-source QR code”. Now that more people understand what a QR code is and what it can do, we’re noticing some confusion between the different formats and terms like direct and indirect, proprietary and open source 2d codes. We’re working on an overview of 2D bar codes that we should be publishing as a blog post in the next week. (RM)

  • http://www.lcbo.com/ Michael Cacciottolo

    Hi Randy,nnI work with Ewan and he asked me to respond to your question regarding the LCBO’s use of ScanLife EZcodes vs standard QR codes.nnWhile we would very much like to deploy standard QR codes, in our testing, we’ve found that many mobile devices still have trouble scanning them. iPhones tend to do a fairly admirable job, while many BlackBerry devices (even some of the more modern ones) still have trouble scanning them.nnWithout getting too technical, a standard QR code requires embedding an actual URL which results in a fairly high pattern density which can be difficult for some mobile devices to scan accurately.nnThe proprietary codes we’ve deployed only require embedding a unique identifier that is passed off to a server which then returns the full URL to the mobile device. What this means is that the proprietary codes contain much lower pattern density than standard QR codes. Mobile devices can scan these codes much quicker and with a greater success rate than standard QR codes. We’ve even tried using shortened URLs as a way to reduce some of the pattern density but, in the end, nothing comes close to EZcodes because of how they inherently work.nnAs the cameras in mobile devices improve, the need to deploy these simpler, proprietary codes will diminish and we reevaluate their use with every promotion we plan.nnHere is a good resource in understanding the benefits of using a proprietary solution: http://www.scanlife.com/atlantis/why_ezcodes.htmlnnThanks.nnMichael Cacciottolo – Internet Analyst – Interactive Customer Experience – LCBOnnn

  • http://www.randymatheson.com Randy Matheson

    Great explanation and makes sense – we see some tragic manipulations of the standard (open-source) QR codes as people resize them down (making them difficult to read) or sizing them up (blurring the edges of the rectangles) – both of which affects the pattern density.nnWhen used properly I’ve not had issues with the ScanLife code and the company has always been very responsive to technical questions and usage specifications.nnThanks again for explaining this