I’ll admit it. I like pushing buttons both physically and metaphorically. I have been known to disappoint children by forcing them to wait while I boggart the interactive exhibits at the Exploratorium and I’m visibly giddy by the internet of things. That being said, I’m not so easily amused as to push the same button continuously unless I’m incentivized by a fake Mayoral inauguration or jellybeans. This is why I’ve had such a hard time understanding how barcode campaigns can draw in repeat users. But then again, perhaps I’m just not the target user.



In 2009 I wrote an article about QR Codes for Mashable and the story is still receiving comments despite the fact that QR codes themselves rarely see use in North America outside of the shipping industry. The funny thing is that every year a new version of the QR code seems to pop up in marketing articles in the hopes that it will help brands further promote, amplify and sell their messages. So clearly, someone out there believes that

A few years ago it was the Microsoft’s Aztec-looking Tag and today it’s the Social SnapTag — something Glamour Magazine claims generated over 500,000 impressions and 50,000 Facebook fans.

From a technical perspective, the one thing that makes Social SnapTag more appealing than Windows Tag or the traditional barcode or QR Code is that in addition to using their iPhone or Android apps, users can also scan tags by photographing them and sending them via text. Glamour plans on rolling out a March issue where readers will have the option of buying a product via the SnapTag and clicking on the FB like button to receive free shipping. The question is, can Glamour sustain reader enthusiasm for the tags even after they become a regular occurence in the publication?