Thanks to the folks at VGART Design for sharing the QR Code below with our CEO John Foley, Jr.
Upon seeing the picture, I was quite excited. When a mainstream brand such as Starbucks is using QR Codes on their packaging, it should help to increase awareness and acceptance of QR Codes.
Here’s the picture that they posted:
The QR Code directs people to a mobile website.
Here’s what I loved about this — rather than simply pointing to a generic Starbucks.com website of some sort, the QR Code from this package takes me to a site that is specifically dedicated to the type of coffee that this bag contains. In this case, that was the Veranda Blend.
Here is a screenshot of the mobile website:
While I do like many aspects of their execution, the folks at VGART Design made an excellent point when they sent this picture to John Foley, Jr. on Twitter. Their point was this: It would certainly have been better if Starbucks had included some sort of instructions or incentive around the QR Code.
This could have been accomplished by providing simple text such as “Scan this with your smartphone to learn more about this blend”, or “To watch a video about this coffee, scan the QR Code”.
Text like that could help to inform folks that may not know what a QR Code is — and it also could help encourage those who do know what they are to scan it.
But the bottom line is this: there are plenty of opportunities for other companies to successfully incorporate QR Codes into their packaging! Here’s hoping this application from Starbucks provides some inspiration.
