Print with a bonus (from the May Texas Press Messenger)

Print with a bonus 

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By PRISCILLA LOEBENBERG 

Texas Press Association

The Eldorado Success gave readers a video bonus in a recent article about a first grade rodeo. The costumed kids featured on the front page weren’t enough homegrown cuteness for readers or newspaper staff. So, The Success added a QR (quick response) code which allows smartphone users to access a video featuring more of the youngsters on parade at the event.

Publisher Randy Mankin said the newspaper had been looking for a way to introduce their readers to the paper’s video content.

“After seeing QR codes used in print ads, it occurred to me that it would be easy to place one below a photo,” he said. “ So far, we’ve published QR codes three times and will be doing more in the future. The jury is still out on the idea, but it looks promising.”

The Texas Press Association uses a QR code each month on the bottom right of the front page of the Texas Press Messenger. The target of the code changes often. This month, the code takes readers to the online registration page for the TPA Newspaper Leadership Retreat.

Newspaper designers can create  QR codes which take users to web sites, online videos, contacts, calendar events, maps or email addresses. QR code reader apps such as QR Reader or Barcode Scanner can be downloaded free to smartphones.

QR code creators are included in some versions of Adobe InDesign software or found free online at www.qrstuff.com, www.qr-code-generator.com, or other websites.