Passive not active
I have always been of the understanding that the majority of publicity was of a passive nature. Surely the idea has been that we subconciously register the images and that this eventually affects our thoughts when we are shopping: ie we will buy the article that we have seen rather the article that we need. Obviously the publicity has to have been well thought out in the first place.
Are people really ready to move from passive to active ? I can't see many situations where someone would intentionally go up to a publicity and "bonk" it with a smart phone in order to obtain further information.. Ok for bus timetables and other informative billboards, but perfume and Macdonalds, I fail to see the attraction.
I see this more as trying desperately to use technology to fill a role that does not need filled.