The Beauty and The Beast (Dramatic Title)

As awesome as QR codes are in terms of their functionality, let’s face it, their designs could use a bit of a touch up. The other day I had a lengthy discussion with a friend, who is an avid fan of QR codes, about functionality vs. design. My friend didn’t really care for small aesthetic changes to attract the eye, only in terms in what it scans. I on the other hand, thought of design with functionality.

When I look at a QR code, I think of warehouse packaging, keeping track of parts and ironically enough, QR codes began as tracking vehicle parts in a manufacturing company. In essence, the QR code design looks industrial for my taste and needs some aesthetic changes to match what you’re advertising.

For example, if I wanted to create an ice-cream social event and use QR codes for people to scan to receive event information, I would change the color that matches the event atmosphere, perhaps, baby blue? Round the corners to make it look softer on the eye, and add an ice cream cone design within the QR code.

While QR codes maybe not as mainstreamed…yet, having a beautiful design for your QR codes can put your marketing team ahead of the competition. Statistics show that 52 percent of people have heard or seen QR codes, but only 28 percent have scanned. Why is that? There could be many factors from lack of experience scanning the QR code, not well informed about QR codes, or like me, just purely un-attracted to the design of the QR code.

However, on the flip side a company can create a masterful work of art of a QR code but lacks incentive value or sending your users to a non-mobile page, making it near impossible for audience to navigate through the website. That’s why you need to check out www.buildyourownsmartsite.com. They specialize in creating mobile site they call Smart Sites that open up beautifully in smart phone web browsers!

The natural eye is attracted to bright colors, flashing lights, and quick movements. Have you seen a cyclist at night with their flashing rear or head light? What about the splendid colors and appeal of a garden? Did that not attract you in some way or another? QR codes can be designed beautifully with function to match but it is only a matter of time before QR codes hit mainstream, and knowing how to use both design and function will keep your brand in the cutting edge of marketing and technology.