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How To Customize QR Codes With Your Brand’s Identity

Though apparently they’ve been big in Japan for quite a while, I first learned about only last summer after seeing them used in the campaign for the Sci Fi film .

Seeing this got me to wondering –

Can you customize QR Codes with your own design features, logo or brand identity?

Well, it turns out you can. Pretty easily. At least up to a point.

While researching the topic, one of the earliest examples I could find of someone hacking a QR Code with their own branded design elements was .

bbc qr code customization example
Image courtesy Flickr user whomwah

The key takeaway I got from Duncan’s pioneering work was that QR Codes have some relatively generous built in error correction, up to 30 percent in some cases.

Now, what exactly does 30 percent translate into regarding how far you can push a QR Code before it breaks? The answer to that question is a little murky, at least for me. Pushing the envelope in this area, and among the more widely circulated highly customized QR Codes out there, is this code for created by and .

louis vuitton qr code example by set
QR Code created by Takashi Murakami for . Via .

My understanding is that and send the user to a special mobile website, but I’ve tried scanning it with a couple of QR Code readers and so far have never been able to properly decode it (though it does create a cool little animated loop as my QR Code reader tries to lock in on it).

So somewhere between Duncan’s minimalist black and white custom code and that LV artistic masterpiece is probably the sweet spot to aim at if you want your customized code to be easily scanned by the masses.

Interested in seeing what you can do with a customized QR Code?

The good news is that it’s easy to get started and much of the software you’ll need is free.

1) First, you’ll want to get yourself a QR Code generator and reader. After trying a couple, I’ve come to rely on the (pronounced Zebra Crossing) to both generate and read my QR Codes. If you’re an smartphone user (I use a ) it’s a great fit. You can also for the and other devices as well. When generating your codes, select the primary function you want your code to communicate (contact info, GEO location, URL, custom text etc…) from the .

2) Once you’ve generated your QR Code, download the image and import it into your favorite photo editing tool that supports layers. I use but you can go with GIMP if you’re looking for an open source solution and is another free option as well.

3) Now build your layers of custom design on top of your raw QR Code image. Try to visually integrate your custom design elements into the code rather than simply stacking them on top.

4) Test it with your QR Code reader to make sure your design tweaks didn’t hose your code.

5) Repeat this cycle until you’re happy with the appearance and the code is readable.

To test this method, I created a basic QR Code of and tried to kick it up a notch by embedding a custom image. (hat tip to )

Here’s the before and after -

customized qr code with logo embedded
My First QR Code Hack

Granted, at this stage. But on the upside the code appears to be reliably readable, and I was ultimately encouraged by the possibilities this process presents to . For instance…

…could a customized QR Code that delivers a large number of measurable impressions generate revenue by including logos from third party sponsors?

One note here — as I continue to tinker, I’m finding that some of the more elaborate design hacks I think will work are broken, and others that I think have absolutely no chance of working are actually being read. My evidence is only anecdotal, but it seems that the center of the codes are a bit more flexible than the edges. YMMV though, so again…

Hack. Test. Repeat.

Also keep in mind that I’m not at all sure if this is the best way to go about building a custom QR Code. What I can tell you though is that this method seems to work pretty well. (maybe sometimes )

If you’re looking for some idea starters on how you might be able to deploy standard and customized QR Codes to enhance the user experience for your audience or customers, here are a couple real world applications of the technology I spotted recently:

null
Screenshot of QR Code on website


of Audi Japan’s World’s Biggest QR Code via

Related link: Example of QR Code displayed on the Dallas Cowboy’s Stadium HD display.

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Filed under share by david cummings on Wednesday 27 January 2010 at 10:17 am

Tags: , , ,

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1 Comment »

  1. Comment by dc — February 1, 2010 @ 2:22 pm

    Thought this App Judgment episode on QR Codes was a good introduction to using QR Codes on Android:

    http://revision3.com/appjudgment/an_ron_barcodescanner


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Comment on San Antonio Film Forum Screenwriting Workshop by Renee Hayes
Hi David, Thank you for publishing this workshop! I am an aspiring screenwriter who lives in S.A.. I have an adult son who is already working in Burbank. I need to get serious about this so I hope to be able to attend your workshop. Please add me to your mailing list and let me know of any other workshops or events that pertain to screenwriting,thanks! Warmly, Renee P. Hayes - Comment left on 02/12/2010.

Comment on Open Source SMS Text Messaging Application by Garry
Hey David, THis is exactly what I was looking. It's good to hear it from someone that's done this in the real world too. Cheers, Garry - Comment left on 02/08/2010.

Comment on How To Customize QR Codes With Your Brand’s Identity by dc
Thought this App Judgment episode on QR Codes was a good introduction to using QR Codes on Android: http://revision3.com/appjudgment/an_ron_barcodescanner - Comment left on 02/01/2010.

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Quick update - If you use Wordpress, there look to be some interesting plug-ins available now that take advantage of this same approach for delivering SMS messages via email. I downloaded one - EasySMS - and plan to test it out. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/easysms/ - Comment left on 01/27/2010.

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hey there, have been messing around with phpmailer for awhile, and found your site while looking for a solution to a problem: international characters not displaying when emailed. when phone returns and email, writing international chars with it's own keyboard, likewise not displayed in email i believe this is an issue with the GSM charset, eg: it's needed to be able to send readable sms to phones (gsm charset supports international chars) have tried changing content type, encoding and numerous other things, would appreciate any ides you may have, feel free to email,thanks - Comment left on 09/25/2009.

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