Pity the humble QR code. Like a presidential hopeful getting flayed by a pack of power-mad Iowa farmers long before the election, the QR code is suffering the slings and arrows of marketing punditry before a majority of consumers have had a chance to waggle a smartphone over one.

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In this issue: A premature obituary A frustrating yet rewarding experience The thumb-substitution test No QR without QR instructionsContext must drive content View as single page

QR code detractors complain that they're awkward to scan, that they too often link to useless content or are placed in useless contexts, that they're rarely accompanied by good instructions, and that they could be replaced by slicker interaction types like augmented reality or near-field communications.

All of these gripes are right. But to the extent that they're offered as proof of QR's imminent demise, they are also wrong. QR's growing pains should not be mistaken for its death throes.

I come neither to praise the QR code nor to bury it, but rather to heap on some fresh data that might help us to find a middle ground in this debate. In addition, I'll provide some actionable insights for how marketers can make QR experiences work better for consumers going forward.