Observed Signal · Sep 16, 2026 · Opinion / Analysis · Source: The Drum · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Creative Effectiveness Market: QR Codes in Ads Called 'Stupid' as CTV Scan Rates Collapse
Andrew Tindall, a senior leader at System1, argues that QR codes in advertising are ineffective and harmful to brand building, citing new research showing CTV QR scan rates plummeting 60% between H1 2025 and Q4 2025 to just 0.004%. He references data from BrightLine, Innovid, TiVo, and LG Ad Solutions, which collectively show consumers largely ignore QR codes due to lack of interest. Tindall criticizes the industry's obsession with 'shoppable media' and immediate response, emphasizing that advertising's primary role is to build memory and future demand, drawing on research from WPP Media and Ehrenberg-Bass. He advocates for emotional, crafted ads without QR codes, citing works like 'The Long and the Short of It' and 'Lemon'.
Insightful criticism of QR codes in advertising backed by new data, relevant to CTV and shoppable media trends.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- CTV QR scan rates in BrightLine's data fell 60% between H1 2025 and Q4 2025 to 0.004%.
- Innovid found only 200 QR scans per 1 million impressions.
- TiVo reported QR code scanning in TV ads fell from 30% in 2022 to 24% in 2024.
- LG Ad Solutions found 70% of non-scanners cited lack of interest in the product or brand.
- Roku's remote-based shoppable ads generate about four times more conversions than QR codes.
Connected Companies & Entities
8 Entities mappedBrightLine
Interactive CTV advertising platform for brands, agencies and streamers.
“CTV QR scan rates in BrightLine’s data fell 60%......”
Flowcode
QR-based offline-to-online conversion software for marketers and enterprises.
“Origin, Flowcode and LoopMe did some 'groundbreaking research'......”
System1
Performance advertising platform with owned media and intent-driven monetisation.
“Andrew Tindall is a senior leader at System1....”
Mural
Visual collaboration SaaS for enterprise teamwork and facilitation.
Roku
Connected TV platform combining streaming, advertising and app distribution.
“Take Roku’s solution to the lack of QR scans......”
WPP
Global marketing services group with agencies, media operations and AI software.
“WPP Media’s finding that 84% of purchases go to brands people were already biased toward....”
Innovid
CTV-first ad serving, creative and measurement software for enterprises.
“Innovid found only 200 scans for every 1m impressions....”
LoopMe
Adtech platform for programmatic media, in-app monetisation and measurement.
“Origin, Flowcode and LoopMe did some 'groundbreaking research'......”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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