Innovations in barcoding – how barcodes are changing and simplifying our lives, entertainment, and business – Part Two

Part two of our blog post on some of the most innovative and useful barcode technology. You can read Part One here. 

By Cat Robinson

Of course, one of the most popular uses of QR Codes is in advertising, and since they have self-correcting features, they can be customised a great deal and still scan. Here are some of the most inventive.Victoria’s Secret ad campaign:

This QR Code is very cleverly using our natural curiosity – come on, we’re all human – to encourage us to scan the code and interact with the brand name. It certainly grabs your attention.Bergge Tattoo Job Ad:

This must be one of the most ingenious job advertisements ever. The applicant fills in the blank QR Code, and if they’ve done a good enough job (and had enough patience, both of which a good tattoo artist needs in spades) – the code will scan and lead them to the application page.Instagram Print Ad from the iPhone app store:

This advert clearly shows how very versatile and customisable a QR code can be. Barely a word needs to be said and the message is clearly conveyed and allows instant interactivity.So how about creating your own personal, wearable QR Code on a T-shirt?

Website ScanMe allows you to create your own personal QR code which people can use to instantly connect with your Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus or other social media platforms, or for professional purposes – such as linking to your vCard, company website, a special offer, or LinkedIn page. This might be especially useful at a networking event such a conference, and is bound to leave an impression!Expand Your View “Filmcode” Barcodes:

This very creative campaign was used at the Brooklyn Film Festival earlier this year in an effort to boost ticket sales. Thousands of frames from the 2012 Festival’s award winning films were compressed to create a ‘film code’ visual. When the image is then scanned with a smartphone, the trailer video of the film in question automatically plays on the user’s screen, before eventually directing them to the Brooklyn Film Festival’s website.These are just some of the many innovative and diverse applications for one- and two-dimensional barcodes. Other useful codes include ISBN barcodes – which allow libraries to easily track and trace books, and even the famous DNA barcoding initiative – The Barcode of Life – which aims to create a visual ‘barcode’ catalogue of the world’s many animal and plant species. It seems that with barcodes, the only limit will be the human imagination!