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QR codes are a fun, easy way for brands to engage consumers both off and on the Internet. They&#8217;re also capable of sending unsuspecting customers to porn websites. Just ask Daniel Korell, a German gentleman who was sent to camgirl site Fundorado after scanning a QR code on a bottle of Heinz ketchup (if you&#8217;re not sure what a &#8220;camgirl site&#8221; is, take my advice and look it up when you&#8217;re out of the office). <a href="http://gawker.com/heinz-very-very-sorry-for-link-to-german-porn-site-on-1712449250?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=qr-codes-are-ideal-for-fan-engagement-until-they-lead-to-porn-1888" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">According to Gawker</a>, after Korell made Heinz aware of where the QR code sent him, the company apologized, saying &#8220;we really regret the event very much.&#8221; Let this be a lesson to every franchise brand out there: If the ketchup kings at Heinz can fall victim to a bad link, you can too. Or, to put it in simpler terms: Engaging with fans online? Good! Sending said fans to pornographic websites? Bad!

1851 Franchise

Heinz learns the importance of double-checking links the hard way.

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QR codes are ideal for fan engagement – until they lead to porn  

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QR codes are ideal for fan engagement – until they lead to porn

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