The Drum: The Future of the QR code

Packaging, payment, a gateway to augmented reality worlds, and a star of the organised response to the Covid-19 pandemic: the QR code has emerged as the little technology that could. But, deep down, is it all just a gimmick? Is it living on borrowed time? Or is there more growth on the horizon?

Speaking with The Drum, Jonathan Izzard, Strategy Director at Wonder, says:

“It’s easy to feel underwhelmed by the sight of a QR code. It’s the visual embodiment of rigmarole: dig out your phone, open the camera, pinch to focus, and launch a link, all while wondering whether the end will justify the means.

But, for brand experiences, QR codes can help offer more enriched and inclusive moments. NaviLens (souped-up QR codes) at exhibitions and events provide blind and partially sighted audiences with vital wayfinding and experiential narratives.

QR codes offer a universal baseline for connecting audiences and a lo-fi conduit to whatever’s next, from mobile payments to location-based interactions; AR to AI.”