Dainippon Printing tries clickthrough for magazine ads

Japanese company Dainippon Printing is trying out a model for magazine advertising that's transplanted straight from the web. They're placing product ads in magazines that include QR codes containing a URL (the example on the right is for engadget.com); scanning one with your cameraphone will send you to the product site. The advantages? Not much for the poor user, apart from not having to thumb in a URL, but for advertisers it means being able to keep track of clickthrough and completion rates for a specific ad, plus the fact that they only pay out if an ad click results in a sale. Old Media, this is New Media. Shake hands.