Have you noticed the proliferation of QR codes in ads lately? Despite being around since 1994, these two-dimensional barcodes are just now enjoying the limelight thanks to the recent surge in smart phone use.

For the uninitiated, QR stands for “Quick Response” and these little, square modules make it easy for readers to quickly access more content or take action from your ad – such as a viewing a video, sending a text message, dialing a phone number, or visiting a specific web site URL. For the consumer, they facilitate information retrieval without requiring people to type in lengthy URLs (tough to do on a smart phone), and for marketers they allow for precise response measurement.

Marketers can create codes from one of the many QR code generators available and encode it with information to share or specific actions to elicit. While most codes have the basic square, black-and-white appearance, clever marketers have begun to customize them with logos and images.

The code is then placed in a variety of marketing collateral - magazines, billboards, trade show booths, in-store, direct mail, name tags, business cards, or on just about any other object your target audience may encounter. In order to access your content, consumers will need to have a QR code reader. These are readily available for free online, and already built in to many new smart phones. Simply scan the code with your phone’s reader to activate the content embedded therein.

Here are some ways healthcare marketers might use QR codes:

• Link to a video or specific product page to easily provide a more detailed overview of product and services beyond what you can display in an ad
• Provide quick access to an event web site, live polling, and/or business contact information at trade shows and conferences
• Initiate a call with a sales person or customer service representative
• Give access to product feature & comparison tools
• Link to a case study or white paper download
• Direct people to your find-a-doctor tool
• Solicit opt-ins for your email newsletter
• Collect contest registrations
• Offer up health and wellness information, like recipes and fitness videos

For more ideas, here’s a list of 101 major US brands using scan codes in 2010. They are a great way to activate your offline campaigns, enhance the buying experience, and increase engagement opportunities with your brand.