Wayne Sutton | Wayne Sutton - location-based services, gadgets, marketing, social media, iPhone & iPad

If you have been reading my blog lately to say I’m excited about QR Codes is an understatement. I’ve blogged about QR Code iPhone App Readers, QR Code videos and QR Code generators that provide analytics. Over the weekend I read an awesome QR rant post from Nick Ford about how HBO’s New Series “Boardwalk Empire” are using a QR code in GQ Magazine. His rant starts off about the design of the code and then goes into how important the content of the QR Code is after you scan it is. Here’s an excerpt

The first thing that struck me about the use of this particular QR code was the “designer” effect it had. Don’t get me wrong, I love “designer” QR codes and I think they can serve a unique purpose for any campaign but they shouldn’t be used in an ad like this. QR codes are still at their infancy with consumers and recognition is HUGE at this stage in the game. The code in this ad is too small and the effect it was given only deflected attention from it. A standard black and white code that was 25% larger would have been MUCH more engaging to potential users IMO. I don’t even want to mention the money that was probably spent trying to make this code look “cool” on the ad.

Nick who’s byline reads “Captain of the QR Code galaxy” makes some great points and even though I’m a fan of designer QR Codes, he’s so right. For example look at the green QR Code above. If you look closey there’s a light emebed image in the code. It’ big and green with one major problem. It doesn’t work! As I was walking by the location I tried to scan it with 4 different QR Code readers and none of them were able to scan the QR Code. In today’s marketing/social web world in which everyone talks about branding and design I know plain black and white QR Codes may not be the most attractive design but they work. For example look at the Sparkcon poster below with a QR Code.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/waynesutton/4970528433/” title=”Sparkcon Posters with QR codes by waynesutton12, on Flickr”>

Don’t get me wrong, you can be very creative with QR Codes designs, take a look at a few awesome QR Codes custom designs below.

Google Image Result for http://www.hypebeast.com/image/2009/04/louis-vuitton-qr-codes-takashi-murakami.jpg

But remember, for 98% percent of America QR Codes are still new and should be kept as simple but effective as possible. Therefor when you’re starting your QR Code marketing project remember the K.I.S.S. rule…. Keep it simple …..

Posted on September 8, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Video Q&A: What is your favorite Social Network and why?

Posted on September 7, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Dear local media, we need you. Today’s a big day for the Raleigh-Durham tech community

Flickr photo By Olivander

Dear local media, that’s you News and Observer, WRAL, NBC17/MyNC, Triangle.com, ABC11 and more. Today’s a big day for the Raleigh-Durham tech community as two major achievements are happing in your own backyard. One, Launch Box Digital is having their kickoff event today where seven startups will make their pitches and start working in Launch Box 12 week accelerator program (no affiliation). The second is the opening of Raleigh’s new coworking space at Design Box downtown Raleigh. Both of these events are significant to the Triangle’s growing web/tech community and should they become successful could lead to future economic development for the community, other startups, freelancers and companies looking to relocate to the Triangle.

Also as like the rest of the world, most media outlets cover what’s happening in tech communities such as Silicon Valley, Boston, MA, Austin, TX, Boulder, CO and New York and they often ignore what’s happening in their own communities. Sure they’re cover local companies that recieve 40 million dollars in venture capital or what Cisco, IBM, SAS or Lenovo is doing but what about the upcoming web tech startups? What about a follow up story on North Carolina’s first coworking space in Carrboro, Carrboro Coworking? Basically I’m saying we need you local media and I would hope you’ll understand that your coverage/support means a lot.

If you look at a few New York startups such as … Foursquare they’re often covered by the New York Times, WSJ and other media outlets. Also various West Coast startups have the opportunity to be covered by the LA Times and other near media outlets that have national reach. Each time one of these publications covers a local startup it’s good for the community, the startup and the media outlet. Note I’m not saying give web/tech startups free press or advertising but what I’m saying is that you may have the next Foursquare or Google or Groupon right locally and it would be great to see you cover what’s happening locally in the technology space and not what we can read on a thousand of tech blogs about the same companies.

Note, I know it’s kind of late in the day, and if you’re local media, expect a press release about the coworking space in your inbox soon. If you’re already planning to cover one or both of these projects great!

You can learn more about the Launch Box Digital Event here and the Design Box coworking announcement here: Design Box Announces Betabox Spaces.

Does your local media cover technology in your community?

Posted on September 7, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Google reader shares from social web for September 7, 2010

What If Mad Men’s Don Draper Had a Computer? [PC Mods]

6 ways to grow a successful small business without going crazy

Four Google Chrome Extensions For Easier Web Reading

Kevin Rose Responds To Digg Criticism On Diggnation, Mostly Tells Users To Chill

Lyrics Legend App turns iPhone into a Karaoke device

iPad Magazine Subscriptions, With a Catch: Zinio Launches Apps for Sporting News, National Geographic [MediaMemo]

Nike+ Now Available with GPS Tracking (and Without the Shoe Chip Requirement) [Downloads]

Microsoft Chooses The A-Bomb

How to Write Effective Blog Posts

A Real-Time, Multimedia Social Network You Might Not Know: Paltalk CEO Jason Katz (Part 2)

AP Begins Crediting Bloggers as News Sources

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7 Compelling “About Us” Pages

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3 Studies Show Facebook’s Marketing Potential

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Drive Blog Traffic Without Using Twitter

17 killer SEO slides from the 2010 Seattle mozinar

Posted on September 7, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Win 30 days of free coworking at Design Box via Shovemedia’s what would you do with 30 days contest

We’re excited about the BetaBox spaces services at Design Box to provide an opportunity for startups, entrepreneurs and those who are looking to escape the coffee shop or home office a place to work. Fellow Design Box member Jon Williams of shovemedia is so excited he’s launching a “What would you do with 30 days of free coworking” contest. Watch the contest video below and submit your ideas to shovemedia at gmail dot com.

The contest ends Friday, September 17 at 11:59 P.M. Good luck to everyone and for more information about coworking at Design Box visit our Work Here page or contact us at 919-834-3552 or email info at designbox dot us

Design Box
323 W Martin St
Raleigh, NC‎, 27601
Web: designbox.us
Ph: 919-834-3552
Email: info at designbox dot us
Twitter: @DBRaleigh

Google Maps Directions

Posted on September 7, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Announcing Design Box partnership to launch coworking/incubator space downtown Raleigh

Today I’m pleased to announce that I’ve partnered with Aly Khalifa of Gamil to launch BetaBox at Design Box downtown Raleigh. BetaBox is the coworking services hosted at Design Box and will feature daily, weekly, and monthly desk rentals along with conference room and meeting spaces. Coworking downtown Raleigh has been long desired from the community in Raleigh, NC and we’re both excited to launch it at Design Box. Some of the office amenities include 6,000 square feet open creative environment, 25 available workstations (4 Desk, 2 private offices, 2 conference areas, 1 quiet phone room, free coffee, projector, hight speed internet and 3 couches. Membership and a one time fee of $20 that includes your first day of working from Design Box is required and can be filled out online via the form here.

Future plans at Design Box includes workshops, community mixers and various networking events. We’re excited about the future and looking forward to working with entrepreneurs, creatives, freelancers, startups, and other mobile professionals at Design Box. Design Box is located in Raleigh’s downtown warehouse district at 323 W Martin St, Raleigh, NC‎, 27601.

Design Box Press Announcement:

Designbox has searched its own soul on how to take its innovative community-oriented approach to the next level. Designbox 2.0 is the result, with an increased dedication to openness, creative process, inclusively and mentorship. Launching the day after Labor Day, Designbox welcomes the community into its creative atmosphere to work on their own projects.

BetaBox is set up to have an easy way to share workspaces, conference areas and ideas within the Designbox, located in Raleigh’s Warehouse District. The intent is to provide easy ways to get out of the home office, beta-test new business ideas, support visiting professionals and hold collaborative meetings. Pricing starts at $10 for a half day rental of an open space.

Options include weekly or monthly terms and private offices or collaborative spaces. Look for more community projects like SPARKcon and technology Meet-ups to come through the doors as well.

For pricing and more information visit: http://www.designbox.us/work-here/

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Wayne Sutton helps individuals, startups and businesses succeed in understanding how to communicate on the social web via brand strategy, social networks and location-based services. Wayne is the business development/marketing strategist for TriOut and partner at OurHashtag.