How do you make an already neat tool benefit your marketing even more? Give it your branding.
You may have already read our previous article on How to Use QR Codes in Your Print (if not, go ahead and give it a click). So, you may already know what these Quick Response codes are all about and how you can incorporate them in your print designs.
Since their very recent inception, QR codes have only gotten smarter, and now you can stray from their original, rigid black & white block pattern to include all manner of design options. Your company logo can sit pride of place in the center, and the whole code can be changed to your brand’s colours (even gradient colours). Using a QR code saves you valuable space in your design and act as a useful call to action your leaflets and posters. Therefore, it is a benefit to keep them consistent with the rest of your design. From even far away, your customers will instantly recognise your brand. Your own QR code won’t get lost in a sea of blocky squares.
Some things to keep in mind when creating your own branded QR code:
- The minimum size of the code must be 2cm by 2cm. Too small, and the scanner will just see the pixels all jumbled up together and it will not work. Think about how large the item you’re printing is (leaflet, poster, or wee business card) and keep it in proportion.
- Incorporate your logo, but don’t cover up too much of the code pattern. The best way to avoid obstruction would be to keep it in the center and away from the ‘eyes’ (those dots in the corners of the pattern).
- Because of those eyes mentioned just above, a square frame is considered the easiest design to scan. That doesn’t mean you can’t get creative and use a circular frame, just ensure you give the code itself enough space to be readable.
- That space is referred to as the ‘Quiet Zone’, something to be considered in all designs, but is arguably more important for custom QR codes. A quiet zone is the natural buffer of void space to distinguish between the actual pixels of the code to scan and any patterns or artwork around it. Too crowded, and a scanner can’t tell the difference.
- It is incredibly important to scan your QR codes and make sure they work before printing. That’s an obvious thing to say. So obvious, people forget to do it. Scan your QR codes.
The QR Code Generator boasts plenty of customization options for QR codes. It’s also worth taking a look at Beaconstac.com’s own guide on how to make a custom QR code, as they take a great, in depth look branded QR codes.
If you have any more questions about what is a branded QR code and how to use it in your design & print, get in touch with us at Response@d2rcrossmedia.com or give us a call on 01923 601035.
