Hallmark, the ever popular greeting card company, is preparing for the holiday season by launching a new line of Halloween cards for kids. The cards will feature lovable characters from some popular movies and TV shows, such as Scooby Doo and Disney’s Cars. The cards will also include a feature that may not be recognizable to most children: A QR code. Hallmark has taken note of the usefulness of the 2d barcodes and has adopted them in order to connect with consumers.
The codes will be stamped on the back of Hallmark’s Halloween collection. When scanned, the codes trigger a video, which is played on a user’s smart phone. The video is specific to character on the card. For instance, if Scooby Doo is featured on the cover of the card, the QR code on the back will contain a video snippet of the show. Hallmark will also be using the codes for their Christmas collection of cards.
QR codes have become a very popular way to engage consumers with content they may not have otherwise been exposed to. While Hallmark may not be targeting kids with their use of the codes, they expect that parents will be able to recognize the barcodes and show their children what they unlock. In this way, people will begin to learn about QR codes at a young age, perhaps preparing them for a future where the codes are on nearly everything.
