What if a QR code made you stop and look before you scanned it?
QR codes have become so common that most of us barely notice them anymore.
You see one on a business card, menu, poster, product package or event banner and your brain basically goes: "Yep, that's a QR code."
I started wondering if the QR code itself could become part of the design instead of just being a small functional square sitting on the side.
So I started building NG QRCode.
The idea is pretty simple: create QR codes that are visually interesting enough to get noticed, while still working as QR codes.
I'm especially interested in finding the right balance here.
If the QR code looks too generic, nobody pays attention to it.
If it looks too abstract, people may not even realize it's a QR code.
And if you're using several QR codes for the same campaign, they should still feel like they belong to the same brand rather than looking like completely unrelated designs.
There's another part I wanted to solve too: Printed QR codes shouldn't become useless just because the destination changes.
With NG QRCode's dynamic QR codes, you can change the destination URL without creating or printing a new QR code. So the QR code you've already put on your business card, packaging, menu, poster or banner can keep working.
I also wanted to solve another frustrating problem: what happens to all the QR codes you've already printed when you stop paying for the service? I don't think a printed QR code should suddenly become useless. With NGQRCode, the QR code you've already printed keeps working even if you stop your subscription.
You can also track scans to understand how the QR code is being used.
I'm looking for people who are willing to actually try this and tell me where it works and where it doesn't.
I'd especially love feedback on these:
• Would the design make you more curious to scan one?
• Where could you realistically see yourself using one?
• How artistic QR codes are useful for real marketing materials?
• What would make you trust one enough to actually scan it?
I'm much more interested in honest criticism than "this looks cool." If you think the idea doesn't make sense, I'd genuinely like to know why.
I'm also giving beta users additional artistic generation credits as a thank you for taking the time to test it and share useful feedback.
You can try it here:
https://ngqrcode.com
This is a brilliant concept, especially solving the issue of printed QR codes becoming useless after canceling a subscription! That’s usually the biggest fear for anyone printing marketing materials. The balance between aesthetics and scannability is tricky, but if done right, it can definitely boost conversion rates. Best of luck with the launch!
The subscription part was actually something I wanted to solve from the beginning. If you've already printed hundreds of QR codes, having them stop working because you cancel a subscription feels like a pretty bad deal.
The visual side is definitely the harder part though. I'm still trying to find that sweet spot where the QR looks different enough to get noticed, but people still immediately understand what it is and feel comfortable scanning it.
The tension between making a QR code noticeable and keeping it immediately recognizable is interesting. Curious what kind of designs people actually trust enough to scan.
That's actually one of the things I'm trying to learn right now. I don't think the most visually impressive design is necessarily the best QR code. If it looks amazing but makes someone hesitate before scanning, it probably missed the point.
I'm testing different styles to find that middle ground where it still clearly reads as a QR code, but is interesting enough that you'd actually notice it on a poster or business card.
I’ve actually sent you a couple of emails since our earlier conversation about NGQRCode. Have a look when you get a chance — would be good to continue this there.
such an interesting concept, very creative
Thank you.