I was just perusing the latest issue of Chief Content Officer and stumbled upon a blurb about a company selling QR code ad space on rooftops. Yes, rooftops. You can read more about this marvelous new service here.

Let me ask a silly question. Who the hell is going to read a QR code on a rooftop?! Let’s say, for example, I’m flying into a new city. I’m a tall guy, so I usually like the aisle seats. For the sake of argument, let’s pretend I’m circling over the skyline and decide to lean over the sleeping passenger next to me and gaze out the window. Now let’s pretend that I notice a QR code embedded on the roof and decide to scan it (with my smartphone that is turned off since I’m on an airplane). Someone please tell the pilot to hold the plane still so I can scan this thing. Sounds great, right?

OK, I’m kidding. These codes are not actually painted on top of a roof somewhere. They are, however, digitally embedded in satellite images from Google Maps and Google Earth. Unfortunately, this is just as absurd as the above example. The service is positioned as a way to convert visitors who are using mobile devices. Let’s play this out for a second: I’m surfing the web on my mobile device. I end up in Google Maps. I see a QR code on top of a roof. How am I going to scan the code — with the QR reader on my mobile device — from the mobile device that I’m currently surfing the web with?! Do I need two phones? More importantly, a QR code is simply a bridge from offline content to online content. If I’m already online, I don’t need to scan a QR code to get online, just show me the content! If you’re going to put something on a roof, make it meaningful, not another hoop to jump through. Show me a logo or an ad or something, anything but a QR code.

Oh, and how much does it cost you for this portal to nowhere? Only $8,500 to get started.

If you’re thinking of investing in this, please call me first. I’ve got some marketing ideas I want to sell you.