Microsoft Tag & QR Code are visual tags that use proprietary technology to encode data in a 2D "barcode". They pack a lot of information in a small space. These visual tags can be used in traditional marketing media like print advertising, billboards, packaging and merchandising. A user capturing a visual tag through her mobile phone camera can be directed to a website for detailed information (that can include online photos & video) by a barcode reader application (that needs to be installed before hand on the mobile).
Picture courtesy: Wikipedia
Google utilizes QR Code to promote the most sought out local businesses (in the US) for it's Favorite Places website. Microsoft Tag is being increasingly used by publishers & advertisers, among others, to act as a gateway from traditional media to an internet site or online media. The movie Avatar used Microsoft Tag for their ad campaign to lead users to richer info online.
Picture courtesy: Microsoft
Microsoft Tag has some distinct advantages over QR Code (content paraphrased from multiple sources) -
- MS Tag can handle long URLs and allow for content to be dynamically changed. The creator of the Tag can control to which web page a Tag can be directed to.
- Tags can be one quarter the size of other two dimensional barcodes thus preserving precious real-estate on printed materials
- Seamlessly works in Color or Black & White. Businesses can use their color logo.
- Designed to work with the limited capabilities of a typical camera phone.
- Enhanced Reed-Solomon error correction means Tags can still be read even if partially damaged.
- Optimized for both print and video display.
- On many phones can decode using a direct real-time camera video stream, you don’t even have to “click” to read the code.
- Tags are saved for later viewing and can be forwarded to someone else (no need to scan it again).
- MS Tag provides Analytics to publishers. The reporting data can help publishers tweak their campaign if required.