There's a limit how much information you can fit on a beverage pack. QR codes are allowing brands to go far beyond the pack by offering a realm of information - and fun - online.
There's a limit how much information you can fit on a beverage pack. QR codes are allowing brands to go far beyond previous reaches by offering a realm of information - and fun - online.
Pic: getty/markobabbi
The sky is the limit when it comes to experiences QR codes can link to.
Coca-Cola Creations has accompanied each of its wacky flavor launches with an interactive experience. The release of Y3000, for example, let consumers scan the can to use a customized Y3000 AI lens. The whole series and experiences are designed to engage with Gen Z and encourage a new set of consumers for Gen Z.
Meanwhile, brands are using QR codes to build on their brand story. 19 Crimes, for example, allows consumers to scan the QR code to find more about the story of each convict featured on the bottle.
In each case, the interactive experience builds on the core brand and helps engage consumers.
The pandemic boosted consumers’ desire for at-home experiences: and the cost-of-living crisis is continuing to power this boom.
Numerous spirits brands use QR codes to link to cocktail recipes online – even with step-by-step guidance displayed via augmented reality.
For example, Bacardi has set out to 'shake up cocktails at home' with the launch of its TAILS cocktails.
A QR code on every 50cl bottle links to a 30 second ‘how to’ video which explains the three simple serving steps, along with garnish suggestions, for each cocktail.
QR codes often brands a way to tailor a mass produced item with an individual flourish.
Diageo’s Message in a Bottle gifting experience gave people the chance to personalize a bottle of Single Malt Scotch whisky with a unique video message for Father’s Day in 2020. A gift label on the bottle contained a unique QR code, which the recipient could scan to receive their personalized message.
More recently, Bacardi’s Grey Goose vodka has launched ‘Tailored Toasts’, an AI-powered toast generator providing consumers with personalized added value to their drinking experiences.
Whether it’s a milestone birthday, a heartfelt celebration or a simple gathering of friends, users can harness the power of AI to create a toast for their occasion – choosing words that are witty or inspiring, lengthy or short and sweet.
Some laws on labelling allow brands to put certain information on-line, rather than on-pack: freeing up space on packaging, but also allowing brands to offer far more in-depth information than would otherwise be possible.
New EU regulations for the wine industry, which came into effect in December, mandate that ingredients and nutritional information are included on wine labels. But that can be via a QR code that links to the information online.
Similarly, spirits and beer industries are providing similar information voluntarily.
Pernod Ricard, meanwhile, uses the QR code on its labels to link to responsible drinking guidelines and health risk warnings as well as an ingredients list.
But there are signs that this could go much further and providing QR codes could become a legal requirement in some areas. South Korea is looking to mandate label-free packaging for water bottles, providing the necessary info with QR codes.
Pic: getty/imagesbybarbara
Recycling can be complicated: not least because it varies from market to market. QR codes, therefore, can allow consumers to click through and find tailored information specific to their area.
Paboco – the consortium developing paper bottles for cross-industry uses – has developed a recycling application concept with recycl3R and Kezzler.
Consumers can scan the QR-code on the bottle to receive practical and local recycling information for the new packaging type. The application could be tailored to give guidance on how and where to sort and recycle depending on the location of the consumer.
There's also the scope to provide additional information about the packaging itself: such as sustainability footprints and insights about the product journey - or even create a rewards system for recycling.