A Study on Digital Watermarking Usage in the Mobile Marketing Field: Cases in Japan

Presently many posters, pamphlets, magazines, and company brochures have Internet URLs printed on them. Details that cannot be printed on paper such as the latest information or information about related services are published on the Internet. However there are various problems. Inputting a URL while looking at the printed material is troublesome, input mistakes can happen, and even if there are multiple information items introduced on the printed material usually only the URL to the top page of the Website is noted, making it difficult to locate the desired information. Also, while cellular phones with attached cameras are rapidly spreading worldwide, QR code is gaining popularity in Japan as a technology to link existing media. However, the usage of many recognition technologies has been hampered by problems with the layout and design regarding existing media. This research examines mobile marketing methods using digital watermarking technology as a method to conquer these problems.