QR codes are everywhere these days. They’ve been around for a long time but have never been as easy to use as they are today. Companies everywhere are finding new and innovative ways to use them, including on their packaging.
If you are like most people, you started seeing a lot of QR codes at restaurants during the pandemic. They are often taped to your table or on a card tucked alongside the ketchup bottle in the centerpiece.
Before they became popular, people had to download a QR scanner app and then remember where it was on their phone or search for it if they ran across a code they were interested in. Today, all you have to do is open up your camera, focus it on the QR code, and touch the link that pops up on your screen.
What Purpose Do They Have?
We all know that QR codes are a square filled with pixelated dots in what appears to be a random pattern anchored with a few squares. Some are a bit fancier and might have a company logo on it or even a picture in the middle like the one I recently saw at a funeral.
But what is their purpose? They are a quick, contactless, and ecofriendly way to download everything from a menu to directions, a website, landing pages for products, instructions, or warranty registration materials for a product you purchased. The list of potential applications and what you can digitally provide to your customers is virtually endless.
You could even link a QR code to the social media platform of your choice and include them on your packaging, such as shipping boxes or water-activated tape.
The Backstory
QR Codes are functionally similar to the barcodes that make checking out at stores so convenient.
They were first created 25 years ago by Hara Masahiro, an engineer working for Denso Wave, who created them to allow employees to access a lot of information from a single scan to better track car parts.
Masahiro was inspired by strategy games, a favorite pastime of his. One day, when he was arranging black and white pieces on a grid, he had what he called his “eureka moment,” and it wasn’t long before his team worked to develop the idea into what it is today.
Today, there are two types of QR codes—static and dynamic. Static codes direct users to a specific URL or display text, while dynamic codes are editable and give you data on how your customers are using them.
With dynamic QR codes, you can give your customers a vibrant experience with simplicity and ease, something your shipping boxes could never have done in the past.
Ways to You Can Use QR Codes
QR codes have become an indispensable part of marketing campaigns everywhere. Imagine a pretty card tucked into the box with the products your customer purchased. It has a code on it that, when scanned, takes them to a quick survey they are more likely to fill out than ever before.
Suppose you are redesigning the branding on your corrugated shipping boxes. Why not include a dynamic QR code that you can edit and change at will—allowing you to update it with new information or contests or reward information in a few minutes at your computer.
If you aren’t ready to create new plates for printing on your boxes, which can be costly, you can still take advantage of this by having the codes printed on water-activated tape with a message that might say, “Scan me to enter a contest” or “Scan to activate your free warranty” or simply scan me with an emoji smiley face.
You could even include a QR code on your business cards, taking your prospects on a journey that helps them decide to buy your product, or plays a video of you talking about what makes your product unique.
QR codes are small but mighty, and the only limitation on how they can be used is your imagination.
At Pinnacle Packaging, we can help you put QR codes on your boxes, tape, or other packaging items. Contact us today at (773) 235-6060, and we will help you get that started.
About Us
Pinnacle Packaging, Inc. offers our customers the best product selection and fast delivery, all at great prices. We are proud to offer over 20,000 quality products from well-known and trusted brands like 3M, Sealed Air, Tape Logic, Rubbermaid, Ivex, and many more. Our mission is to be the single source answer to all our customers’ packaging needs.
Through the years, we have established a reputation with our customers for providing fast, reliable, and professional service. Our high level of responsiveness to our customers’ needs keeps them coming back.