I’m not sure I can quite size the implications of this news story about Nestle using product bar codes in a promotional program. Honestly, it’s the first time I’ve ever heard of a barcode being used for anything beyond mere product identification in the US. [In Japan, the barcode has been a great and pretty part of the product for awhile.] What does this imply for the future? Could GS1 barcodes, for example, start becoming an important element of a company’s brand image? Here’s the crux of what Nestle is doing with the so-called ‘girl group’ known as Girls Aloud:

The five fabulous girls Nicole, Cheryl, Kimberly, Nadine and Sarah have teamed up and joined forces with Kit Kat Senses and the Make-A-Wish Foundation UK, a charity that grants wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening illnesses, to give away 165 t-shirts every day for six weeks from 18th August… To be in with a chance to win, simply text the last four digits of the barcode found on KIT KAT SENSES wrappers, plus SENSES, to 66226, or enter online…

So, here we have a major products company, with a huge retail presence, urging otherwise ordinary people to check the barcode on their wrapper. Hmmmmm . . . What’s next? Shoot a picture of it with your cellphone to find out if you’re an instant winner?

Related posts:

  1. GS1 Compliant Barcodes: Safety First or Efficiency First? Does it Really Matter?
  2. Another Good Blog On GS1's Barcodes And Labels
  3. Major Doubts Cast On Researchers Who Say Patient Barcodes Cause "Plethora of Problems"
  4. Speaking of Barcodes: Part 1 of 3
  5. Speaking of Barcodes: Part 2 of 3