Sound QR codes offer new advertising possibilities

UK-based app Chirp uses sound to transmit data between users' smartphones.

We have already seen SonicNotify offer a way for advertisers and event organisers to deliver content to smartphones using inaudible sound waves, and now UK-based app Chirp is also aiming to turn sound into a vehicle for data transmission. Users begin by selecting a URL or uploading a file they would like to send to another smartphone owner. The app then converts the link into a series of 20 short notes – known as a chirp. When others have the app running, the phone ‘listens’ to the chirp and displays a link to download the content being sent. The app is able to distinguish the chirp from background noise even in loud environments, making it suitable both for friend-to-friend sharing at home, for companies wanting to transmit data over a PA system, or for advertisers broadcasting on the radio, for example. Once the chirp has been received, the recipient can then choose to share it over social networks within the app. Where SonicNotify offers paid packages for companies with large audiences to take advantage of, Chirp enables anyone to easily transmit data using sound and is free to download on the App Store, which could lead to a wider take up. Advertisers: ideas here to consider for your next campaigns?