By scanning the barcodes, they will be able to receive the times, instantly.
The participants in the 36th annual Fifth Third River Bank Run in Grand Rapids, Michigan, will be able to use QR codes to help them to obtain their unofficial times when they run on May 11, this year.
It was just announced by the race officials that the smartphone friendly barcodes would be available.
The announcement explained that runners in the race will be able to use their smartphones to scan the QR codes after they have crossed the finish line. This will allow them to instantly view what their unofficial results were when they ran the race. They will then be able to take those times and share them on their various social media profiles.
The QR codes could help to add a new level of excitement and achievement for the runners.
According to the race officials, the results for the River Bank Run will be posted for access using the QR codes, no later than 4pm on the day of the race. This will help to decrease the amount of time that the runners will need to wait in order to see how they did.
Beyond providing immediate unofficial time results at the finish line, the participants in the 25K will be able to bring their smartphones with them throughout the length of the event so that they will be able to scan QR codes after they have crossed the various timing mats at the 6.77, 7.75, and 12 mile marks so that they can share updates with those who are watching, supporting and cheering them on.
QR codes have been increasingly used in various types of sporting experiences and events. They are being used for everything from check-ins to demonstration videos, and even to make donations when the event is for a charitable cause. As the barcodes are becoming increasingly recognized by smartphone users, they are being seen as a very cost effective and practical tool for sharing information, particularly where signage would be challenging and where space limitations for the amount of information are a concern.
The barcodes will be launched for use by consumers in the United Kingdom, first.
Nestlé has just announced that it is updating its packaging to provide a more mobile friendly experience through the use of QR codes that will provide consumers with nutrition and other relevant information.
Scanning the barcode also reveals the social and environmental impacts of the company’s products.
The first consumers who will have access to these new packages that feature QR codes will be those in the United Kingdom. They will be available on the multipacks of the Kit-Kat two finger chocolate bars in Ireland and England. Consumers will be able to read more about the ingredients that make up the product and how they can be enjoyed as a part of a balanced diet and more healthy lifestyle.
The QR codes also reveal how the chocolate bars were produced to bring them to their store shelves.
The Nestlé product QR codes will direct consumers to mobile friendly websites which contain farm more information than could ever be printed onto the actual product labels on the packaging. The company intends to spread the use of these quick response barcodes across all of the products that it has to offer, and is only getting started with the U.K. and the Kit-Kat bars.
The goal is to help its customers to enjoy its products through more informed choices about what they are purchasing and eating. According to the head of strategic business units, marketing, and sales at Nestlé, Patrice Bula, “We hope that consumers, wherever they are in the world, will use these QR codes to learn more about our products.”
Bula went on to say that “We have a wealth of information about the nutritional value and the environmental and social impacts of what we produce, and it makes sense to share that with consumers.”
A simple scan of the QR codes using a smartphone or tablet that has a free scanning app will allow consumers to obtain added information about how to live a healthier lifestyle in general, even with the occasional treat such as a Kit-Kat. It includes guidance about proper portion control, healthier recipes, and the role that all of this plays in a balanced overall diet and lifestyle.
