The Barcode Revolution

Cannes Titanium Lions winner. What an innovative and integrated new medium, check this out!

Agency: DESIGN BARCODE, Tokyo

Description:
Unsightly barcodes have been raping the beauty of package design long enough. That's why we came up with a way to give barcodes a fun and beautiful makeover, while keeping its functional utility intact. We christened this new type of barcode the "Design Barcode" and pitched it to various manufacturers throughout Japan. As a result, many companies adopted it into their package design, and we helped to turn barcodes into a new channel for companies to communicate to their consumers.

Launch and Execution:
We first created some 200 barcode designs, and then published them in a design book called "The Barcode Revolution". At the same time this book was published, a renowned beverage company bought our idea, and Design Barcodes made its first appearance in the actual marketplace. This double impact caused a sensation in the media, and we succeeded in obtaining free publicity for Design Barcodes in all major media, including TV, newspapers, magazines, Web, and radio. We also actively worked to publicize Design Barcodes by taking out ads in financial newspapers and sending direct mails to promising companies.

Results:
As of today, 15 companies are utilizing Design Barcodes in their packaging, and approximately 60 kinds of Design Barcodes are circulating in the marketplace. There have been zero instances of false readings resulting from these barcodes. All in all, we have succeeded in generating 1 million dollar worth of free publicity for Design Barcodes through all of our activities, and not only that, we have been able to make a priceless contribution to the market by bringing countless smiles to the faces of Japanese consumers.