Big Picture - October 2020 - 2

insight

Comeback Kid

o you remember when QR codes ﬁrst came into commercial use? Odd black and white

shapes fit snuggly into a square that were a bit disorienting. I'll be the first to admit I wasn't a
fan, until I connected with Linkz, a QR code app that was able to hide the symbol via an
invisible digital watermark. In my March 2018 Insight I tested the tech. I urged you to
download the app and scan my face that held the hidden QR code. I then, magically,
appeared on your screen in video form.
Today, there's no secondary app needed thanks to the technology in our smartphones. Eileen
Fritsch hinted at this in "The Future of Packaging: Connect Print" article she wrote in the same March
issue. At the time, the idea that we could simply tap our camera on our iPhone to scan a QR code
seemed so futuristic. But in 2020, it's reality. Today, after completing the previous steps, a link hovers at
the top of your screen, which, if clicked, brings you to a webpage hosting whatever information the
brand is providing.
The use of QR codes and augmented reality is a fantastic opportunity for your shop. Not only is it a
cool application to offer your client, but it's becoming so mainstream, partly due to the pandemic. For
example, restaurants are now offering "hands-free" menus. Simply hover your phone over the piece of
paper with the coded image (typically taped to the table, around the umbrella stand, or on the front door
of the establishment) to see what's available. The diner still has to touch their own phone, but now a
plastic menu isn't being passed around by hundreds of strangers right before they dive into some wings.
Plastic menus aren't typically your thing anyway, so what can you print on a large scale that uses
this technology? How about a QR code printed on a construction wrap around an apartment complex
that's being built? Interested tenants can scan the wrap to see the company's website that includes floor
plans, room layouts, and amenities. Movie theaters across the country are starting to reopen. Wouldn't
it be cool if attendees could scan the printed posters that are showcased around the building and watch
the fi lm's trailer?
Luckily, creating a QR code is super easy and there are a bunch of free options available online. I
made my own for fun using a stock image that linked to a website and it took about three minutes. Many
of these services also allow for customization.
We know print isn't dead. Let your readers know it's actually alive.

bigpicture.net
EDITORIAL
Adrienne Palmer
Editor-in-Chief
adrienne.palmer@smartworkmedia.com
Alex Marcheschi
Associate Editor
alex.marcheschi@smartworkmedia.com
Kathleen DeZarn
Art Director
Marty McGhie, Rachel Nunziata,
Matt Richart, Kathryn Sanders
Columnists
Brian Adam, Ryan Clark,
Scott Crosby, Michelle Gobert,
Diana Herrera, Brian Hite,
Robert Kissel, Chris Laniak,
Stan Lucas, Tanya McNab,
Carmen Rad, Gary Schellerer,
Elaine Scrima, Jon Sherman,
James Swanson, Carol Yeager
Editorial Advisory Board
SALES
Lou Arneberg
Senior Market Strategist
East and Midwest US, E Canada
800/654-5169
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Directory and Classiﬁed/Account Executive
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Marketing Manager

Matthijs Braakman
CEO, Group Publisher
Murray Kasmenn
Group Brand Director
David Squires
Group Editorial Director
Ralf Kircher
Group Associate Publisher

October 2020

Fredd Mouawad
Chairman
Dan Kisch
Executive Director

BY ADRIENNE PALMER
BIG PICTURE

Editor-in-Chief

@Adrienne_BigPic

Christine Baloga
VP Marketing Operations and
Customer Acquisition
Michael Pence
Director of Technology
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Big Picture - October 2020

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