Tag! You’re it! Introducing Microsoft TAG, a new kind of barcode that Microsoft can call its own. Microsoft Tag works the same way as QR codes in that they connect almost anything in the real world to information, entertainment, and interactive experiences on your mobile phone. They have a high call-to-action, as they automatically integrate print advertising with mobile devices.
What sets Microsoft Tag apart from other 2D barcodes is their ability to be customized. You can create your Tags in black and white or colourful Tags that visually represent your business or personal brand. Their adaptable size also allows you to deliver information to customers while maximizing real estate space in your print.
Other benefits of Microsoft Tag…
- Advanced analytics enable you to measure campaign effectiveness with enhanced features that tell you the number of scans of a particular Tag over time and by geographic location.
- Tags can be used to link a mobile website or video on a business card to instantly add individuals to your address book, dial a phone number or display a free message.
- A single Tag Reader runs on all major phone platforms and is downloaded from a single site. The Tag Reader also overcomes limited camera phone optics, resolution and processing power to deliver a high user experience.
- Unlike QR Codes that are associated with a single, permanent URL, Tags allow you to update or change your data source as frequently as you like.
So, what will it be?
IMO, Apple v. Google, QR v. MS Tag, my Mother v. yours…there is an endless media quest to create showdowns with single winners, failing to recognize that we live in a digitally pluralistic world.
We don’t have to choose one over the other. Readers are free. Recognizing whether to open my QR Reader, MS Tag Reader or even Goggles is pretty easy. We have thousands of cable channels, millions of URLs, this isn’t the day of 3 networks or Betamax v. VHS, it’s a few free Readers I keep handy.
OK, that’s a big view. But, what will happen? Whichever format is involved in really great campaigns resulting in a broader user base faster will snowball to attract more Brands who will migrate to whichever format shows the best analytics and market penetration.
Most of us watching this space never figured Microsoft Tag would amount to very much. The “Microsoftishness” of it was going to keep it from becoming consumer friendly. But, whoever works at Tags has been really creative and landed their participation in the best QR/2D Tag campaigns in the States, resulting in Microsoft Tags being a true contender. Plus, like the iPhone or any proprietary platform, the user experience is consistent and far better than QR (which may take 2-3 scans or Readers to get a resolve).
Goggles is hovering in the wings, not ready for commercial use; yet, being used on an HTC/Android ad last week as a way of letting themselves be known as possible contenders (and, the Goggles blog stated something like “one day you won’t need QR”).
I’d say all three could survive and thrive. QR’s biggest problem is also it’s benefit, it’s open source. But, it’s being fragmented by being used with proprietary Apps and rebranding efforts. QR is kind of shooting itself in the foot right now.
Microsoft Tag may also piggyback Windows7/Mobile if it gains traction. Android will likely push Goggles. Together, that could be over 50% of the smartphone market, dominating the smaller guys who are left with QR.
In other words, no one knows if there will be one dominant format, ever.
Qr Codes can be changed to different functions, at least through The Bar Pages it can be. Tag is not universal such as QR or Data Matrix which is a downfall especially since they are not releasing any sort of SDK for its reader for others to include in scanners to pick it up. And BeeTagg, MobileTag, 3G Vision and Scanlife have the same analytics systems. i actually prefer 3G Vision analyitic system over all so far. It a cool code Tag has using color code technology but its not all that special in my opinion. The only real benefit I see is it is free at this time and you get several features and unlimited scans which other campaigns you can not do at this time. But when they finally start charging to generate the codes it will be interesting to see how well they do.
This bias is about as bad as Fox News. How about you do some research and mention how QR codes can be customized to become more artistic and visually appeasing than Microsoft Tag, then republish a new article comparing both on a level playing ground?
For example, HBO’s True Blood QR Code
http://2d-code.co.uk/images/true-blood-qr-code.jpg
All MS Tag need to do is open up their app to read QR codes. Currently there are over 100 apps that scan QR codes, unfortunely MS TAG isn’t one. This pisses me off.
Tappinn.com murders MS Tag across the board and ALSO allows unlimited scans and page building. BEYOND the CODE.
Nick Ford
Captain of the QR code galaxy
After many months of research I believe Microsoft Tags will be the clear cut winners with Businesses. Dati, LLC (www.TagDati.com) a company in Charleston SC is currently customizing Tags for over 100 businesses including Century 21 Real Estate. Businesses want branding, colors and even words in their Tags and Microsoft Tags seem to have the edge. Hopeully Microsoft will soon make their reader so it can scan all types of QR codes and if that happens….Game over Tags Win
Dave, what brands want is for consumers to scan the codes and gather data about the user (demographics, location, which specific code is scanned and where). Funny colors or designs mean nothing if people can’t or don’t scan the codes. As a consumer why would I download MSTag to scan codes, when the phone I just bought has scanlife pre-loaded? MS needs to join Neustar so all companies can play ball together, all businesses can benefit from all codes no matter what scanner is used. MSTag is communist, Neustar is free-market evolution.
Eric, I think Brands want both. They want Branding and Data. I don’t know any business owner that when asked if they would like to put their logo in a tag or have a generic QR code would choose the latter. As Far as data Microsoft Tags offer that option per Tag. They offer Heat Maps which shows where Tags were scanned on an interactive Map. They offer charts that show the number of scans per day for a single Tag. They offer Scan totals which charts the total number of scans for each Tag in a category (over the lifetime of the Tag or during a specified time). They offer Scan Totals By Category which charts the total number of scans for each of your categories. Tag Reports also show daily scans of multiple Tags and charts the total of scans per day for all the Tags in a category. The Tag reports also compares the total number of daily scans for different categories. This is by far enough data for a business owner. If you ask 1000 people who’s Technology they have heard of and trust Microsoft or any other QR reader I’d bet the majority would choose Microsoft. TagDati does offer generic QR codes as a option to business owners however most business choose Tags. Not sure what you meant by funny colors as Yellow, Blue and Pink are pretty common. You can also customize them to be pretty much any color imaginable. As far as which phone has what scanner pre loaded is irrelevant, my Droid didn’t have scanlife in it when I bought it. Most people go right to their app store and download what they want and the name Microsoft kind of stands out. As a business man I choose Microsoft Tags over generic QR codes any day of the week including today.
I believe that Microsoft Tag will win. The only exception is that QR Codes are usually supported by those who believe in absolute open source type technologies. Microsoft Tag is far superior in scan rates and ease for creating them. It is proprietary, but it works every single time I scan a tag. I believe it is a winner. I have ScanLife which also scans QR Code and Datamatrix on my phone, along with Microsoft Tag Reader. I support any company who supports a green way of distributing information. Tag, however, is my favorite.
I just want an app that scans both.
But from my reading, the MS Tag seems much more advanced.