The Drake turns Japanese

Watching what’s Big In Japan is a good way to track tech trends that may make their way West in the coming weeks and months. Take a stroll through Tokyo today and you’ll find black and white boxes filled with thick pixels on everything from poster ads to take out containers.

The boxes are QR codes, short for quick read, which mobile phone users can scan. The codes lead to links, offering product information and promotions. Designed in 1994 by Denso, a Japanese car parts manufacturer, QR codes have spread through Asia and many European cities.

Canada hasn’t been so quick to take to the codes. In 2008 Vespa used the codes in Toronto based ad campaign, but the adoption hasn’t been widespread. Soon though, we will see QR codes in our city, in the lounge of the Drake Hotel.

In addition to the hotel’s presence on twitter, Facebook, and foursquare, the Drake will soon start a QR program, which will allow guests to scan a posted code and become eligible for perks like free coffee or a line bypass, says Drake marketing manager Jenn Godbout.

Godbout, whose job it is to respond to both criticism and praise of the Drake on the local web, says adopting new technologies is part of the hotel’s larger plan to stay ingrained in Toronto’s tech community. The Drake has also hosted several social media talks and meetups and even had an evening of PowerPoint Karaoke.

“We love to jump on the bandwagon for new technology,” Godbout says. “It’s a big part of our brand. It’s important we stay not just in the game, but ahead of it.”

Hear that, Japan?

via: nexklix.com

via: Cliffano.com