As the joyous festive season approaches, it brings a flurry of planning for shoppers and businesses.
According to a recent Meta report, 52% of shoppers like seeing relevant product ads without actively searching. This means brands that advertise strategically during this time are perfectly positioned to capture attention and drive results.
It’s the prime time for businesses as the festive spirit boosts consumer spending. And, you too, want to plan well to reap the benefits of the festive zeal.
Amid the buzz of new technologies, QR Codes are a silent powerhouse that creates a big impact.
Festive QR Codes are revolutionizing how businesses connect with customers. These QR Codes do everything from managing inventory to leveraging sales to enhance the customer experience.
Curious to learn more?
In this comprehensive guide, let’s dive into how Festive QR Codes can help businesses double the celebration and maximize success.
A. A Quick Look: Festival QR Codes
Festivals have always been a time for celebration and connection, but for marketers, they’ve become a key opportunity to engage with audiences in meaningful ways.
With the shift in consumer behavior trends, festivals offer a unique chance to create unforgettable experiences that cut through the noise.
As Zomato’s founder, Deepinder Goyal, said in his recent interview, build a relationship with your audience. And, here’s what marketers are doing.
Want to launch a new product? Launch it during festivals. Offer an exclusive sale? When is the latest upcoming festival? Re-target your dead audience and nurture them. Offer a festive discount to them.
Marketers are leaving no opportunity to grab their audience’s attention and build a relationship during festivals. How?
With the help of a simple scan, marketers are creating an engaging, personalized, interactive, and memorable experience for their festive goers.
You think of any festive campaign; they are rigorously leveraging QR Codes for their unique use cases.
B. How to create a Festival QR Code
Say, you want to launch a Christmas festive season sale campaign and direct your audience directly to your website by scanning a QR code. Here, you would like to create a Website QR Code.
1. Go to Scanova
2. Say, from the various QR Code categories available, you want to create a Website QR Code
3. Now, you can copy-paste the website URL
4. After that, name your QR Code to avoid any confusion
5. Then, you will see a QR Code image on the right side of your screen. Under that, there will be an ‘edit’ icon to Edit the QR Code design. You can use it to customize your Festive QR Code
Pro tip: Update the QR Code design with custom elements like logo, background, or frame to bring a festive spirit to your campaign
6. After finalizing the design, click on Update Changes and then Download
7. Now, a pop-up will prompt you to sign up for a 14-day free trial. (Don’t panic, no card details are needed) You can now download your QR Code
8. At last, choose the QR Code image format and size. Then, click Export. Voila, you can share your Website QR Code for your Christmas campaign
C. Why are QR Codes essential for festivals
Strategic marketers leverage festive time to build an emotional connect with their audience, nurture them with discounts, and influence their audience’s purchase decisions.
During this time, 54% of shoppers are willing to explore a new product. Technology also emerges to enhance the festive experience as the festive spirit increases.
Keep reading to learn how QR Codes can be used during the festive season.
1. Target new customers with festive discounts
Whenever we think of the festive season, we think of exclusive festive discounts. After all, everyone loves getting products at a discount.
Let’s say your audience is B2B or B2C; you can still enable festive product discounts. Trust us, businesses love the festive discounts on software, too.
You can promote your festive season discount with personalized email campaigns and nurture your target audience. Moreover, you can also run a festive campaign one week before to create hype.
And, during the festive season, to add a fun element to your festive spirit, you can add a Coupon QR Code with a call to action—Scan to avail 30% Discount to your print-media campaigns.
In 2024, Network King, an online education platform, promoted courses using a Coupon QR Code.
They added a Coupon QR Code to their Instagram campaign, which made the offer stand out. This also attracted people who wanted to join but usually found the course prices too high.
Isn’t it the easy way to target a new audience segment?
2. Manage crowd
Let’s say you’re running a food chain or a restaurant. Here, managing a crowd at your restaurant during festivity can be a challenging task.
Taking an order or providing a menu would require more manpower and time.
Well, here’s an alternative. You can place Restaurant QR Codes on the food table. They can help you share menus, gather feedback, link food delivery platforms, and more.
See this Restaurant Menu QR Code placed by Burger King to ensure a hassle-free dine-in experience while sitting at their table.
3. Increase retention rate with loyalty programs
It is a fact that offering loyalty programs to your existing customers during festivities can help you increase your retention rate.
For instance, scanning a loyalty reward QR Code on a festival-themed banner can enroll customers in a seasonal loyalty program. Here, they earn points for festive purchases, which can later be redeemed for discounts or gifts. This not only boosts sales but also encourages repeat visits.
4. Create awareness
Festivities are beyond offering discounts. You can share quick festive recipe ideas by placing a QR Code on product packaging.
Let’s consider Belly Baker product packaging. They placed a QR Code on it to share recipe suggestions with their customers.
This promotes products and provides added value, making your brand a part of the festival’s excitement and planning.
5. Holiday decorating tips & DIY ideas
QR Codes on print media such as banners, in-store displays, or advertisements can direct customers to a treasure trove of decorating tips and DIY projects.
These Codes help you share festive DIY guides and tutorials on ornaments, centerpieces, and light displays creatively.
This helps build a deeper connection with customers, making the brand part of their festive journey.
6. Contactless entry
Hosting a festive event and worrying about the entry process? Event tickets with a QR Code can help you reduce this stress.
Guests simply have to take their phone out and scan a QR Code. No waiting in a long queue and you can cater to your guests better.
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D. Types of QR Codes used in festivals
Here are the types of QR Codes commonly used in festivals, categorized based on their purpose:
1. Event ticket QR Code
Managing a crowd at a festive event can be difficult. How difficult would fasten the check-in process while managing the queue be?
Many event planners have started using digital event ticketing systems to eliminate the need for physical tickets.
This ensured the fastest event check-in process and reduced ticket duplication.
Pro-Tip: Integrate QR Codes with your registration system for faster check-ins and real-time status updates.
2. Event information QR Code
Gone are the days when people shared event details through physical cards. After all, physical cards can be lost; nowadays, it becomes challenging to keep track of everything.
People usually record everything on their mobile phones. And, with Event QR Codes, they don’t have to remember everything.
They would have to take their phones out and scan, and all the information (event details, venue, time, location) will be saved in their calendar in seconds. Easy, right?
Pro-Tip: Use Dynamic QR Codes that can be updated in real-time to reflect any event changes instantly
3. Vendor and food stall QR Code
At festivals, food stalls and vendor booths are always bustling with activity. As a food stall vendor at a busy festival, you’d want to cater to more diners and offer a fine dining experience.
The challenge is managing the queue, providing a menu, taking orders, and handling all at once.
QR codes can help you with this as well. You only have to upload a menu to the QR Code, and it will work.
Allowing guests to scan a Restaurant Menu QR Code can help you save hours from taking orders and serve them better.
Pro-Tip: Provide separate QR Codes for the menu, ordering, and feedback to streamline service and gather insights
4. Feedback and survey QR Code
At large festivals, collecting feedback from attendees can often be challenging, especially with the sheer volume of people and the busy atmosphere. This is where Feedback QR Codes come in to simplify the process.
Picture this: You hosted a festival event and wanted to measure its success to plan future events better. Digital surveys can help you save on printing costs and reduce paper waste. Moreover, they are easily accessible and can be updated in real-time to reflect changing needs.
Pro-tip: You can place a Feedback QR Code on banners, at exit points, or on event materials (like wristbands or tickets) to quickly access a feedback form or survey
5. Social media QR Code
Create a unique hashtag for your festive campaign and place a QR Code that links directly to the hashtag page or your social media profile.
This encourages attendees to share their festive experiences, photos, and videos using the hashtag and helps you with user-generated content.
Social Media QR Codes can help keep the festive spirit alive even after the event. Attendees can scan a QR Code that directs them to a “thank you” post, additional photos, or a recap video.
Moreover, it provides a way to continue building connections with attendees beyond the physical event.
6. QR Codes for a giveaway contest
Who doesn’t love a giveaway contest? After all, everyone loves free giveaways. With QR Codes, you can make the participation easier.
QR Codes for a giveaway contest can engage festival-goers by providing easy access to entry forms or details. The contest can involve scanning the QR Code, following social media accounts, or filling out a form.
This keeps the festive spirit high and helps you spread the word about the event.
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E. Benefits of QR Codes for festival campaigns
Of course, keeping the festive spirit high, nurturing the audience, and increasing sales are the prime goals of any festive campaign. But QR Codes can help you go beyond that.
Let’s understand some of the prime reasons to leverage the QR technology:
1. Improved efficiency
It is said that technology can replace humans. However, with QR Code technology, it’s different. It can help humans streamline their work.
For instance, if you’re hosting a music concert, you can replace traditional event tickets with digital tickets to speed up the event check-in process.
This can help you and your guests save time at entry gates and focus on managing other essential event activities.
2. Save money
Running a print media campaign costs a lot of money. A minor change can require you to spend a lot on it again.
Picture this: Imagine you’re launching a Halloween campaign on the streets of New York. The billboard is live. Later, you realize a typo error with the main actionable element.
Here, replacing it with a new billboard campaign can pinch your pocket. With a QR Code, you can easily update the content anytime, and you do not need to spend any extra money.
Pro-tip: Enable the Dynamic QR Code feature to save yourself from creating multiple QR Codes. With Dynamic QR Codes, you can update the existing QR Code content anytime.
3. Increase engagement
Use QR Codes to grab the attention of your audience in your campaign. You can create interactive opportunities that increase audience involvement.
Linking to exclusive content, special offers, contests, or social media pages, QR Codes encourage festival-goers to participate more actively.
With this, you increase excitement and enjoyment and help build a deeper connection between attendees and the event, making the experience more memorable.
4. Measure the success of your festive campaign
You have spent a hefty amount on your billboard festive campaign. Of course, your campaign went viral, everyone talked about it on social media, and it helped you connect with the wider community.
However, were you able to measure the success of your campaign with a non-actionable billboard? No, right. With trackable QR Codes, you can track the success of your static billboard by turning them into an actionable campaign.
You’d only have to add a QR Code, which will do its job. Yes, you can directly nudge your audience to take an action.
QR Codes provide valuable data to assess the performance of your festive campaign. Tracking scans lets you gather insights into user age groups, demographics, devices used, and much more.
Moreover, this real-time data helps identify what worked well and informs strategies for future campaigns, ensuring continuous improvement and more effective festival planning.
5. Streamline communication
QR Codes make it easy for attendees to access essential festival information, such as schedules, maps, and updates, with just a scan.
By centralizing information digitally, organizers can reduce confusion, minimize the need for on-ground support, and ensure attendees stay informed throughout the event.
QR Codes provide a seamless, tech-savvy way to manage logistics, engage with attendees, and gather data, benefiting festival organizers and enhancing the attendee experience.
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F Real-life festival QR Code examples
1. Valentine QR Code
It is that time of the year when everyone expresses love not by words but by surprises, personalized messages, and gifts.
The more unique you get, the more memorable you’ll make your Valentine’s Day.
As users always look for new ways to celebrate their bond, famous brands leave no opportunity to gain popularity.
Image source: Hershey
This year, in 2024, Hershey launched their Kisses chocolates in a new edition—Love Edition. The campaign aimed to help consumers deliver a sweet surprise to their loved ones.
They did a packaging makeover to ensure their campaign follows the Valentine’s theme.
Moreover, they added a Valentine QR Code on the packaging to help their customers make Valentine’s more memorable.
On scanning, consumers could surprise their loved ones with a personalized message. It’s a win-win for both the brand and consumers.
It helped the brand build an emotional connect with its audience and surge its sales by promoting its Love Edition all over social media.
Additionally, it allowed consumers to make Valentine’s Day more memorable and engaging.
2. Easter QR Code
Hosting an Easter celebration? How about hiding clues in eggs with a creative twist?
For instance, a famous e-commerce platform, Etsy, is selling Easter Egg Hunt QR Codes, making the game even more fun.
But here’s the catch: while buying the Easter Egg Hunt QR Code game online is a cool idea, you can’t easily change the rules.
That’s where a professional QR Code Generator, like Scanova, comes in handy.
With Scanova, you can update the QR Code and its content anytime, keeping your Easter hunt fresh and flexible!
3. Halloween QR Code
Did you know QR Codes can help you bring a twist to your spooky festive season? Well, QR Codes hold the front seat when it comes to fun and mischievous games.
Consider this example—Chobani is a famous food and beverage brand known for its Yogurt.
Image source: Chobani
In 2023, they made spooky packaging for their special edition Chobani Flip Greek Yogurt.
This time, they did not only turn their packaging spooky to promote their special edition. But also updated their website.
Image source: Chobani
They decided to spice things up with a circular frame black-and-white Halloween QR Code to make their website and packaging engaging.
They chose a Frame QR Code to save time while maintaining the brand style, with a call to action: ‘Scan Here, If you dare!
By doing this, they challenged the customers to scan a QR Code to see what was in store for them.
Scanning the QR Code revealed a whole fun, spooky digital content like games, activities, and special offers.
As a bonus, the users can experience AR and get a chance to win Halloween treats. These include a skateboard, a camera, and a beanbag.
This made for a memorable and interactive experience that kept families engaged with their brand for longer.
Pro tip: Use Halloween theme CTA text and custom design to bring a spooky vibe to your campaign and nudge users to take action
4. Diwali QR Code
The Diwali festival is all about celebrating with family and friends, gifts, and some festive shagun! QR Codes add a sparkle, from sending wishes to collecting shagun.
In 2024, Google went viral on Instagram with a creative Diwali QR Code campaign featuring a rangoli, inviting viewers to “send shagun.”
Source: IndianExpress
Did it go viral?
Well, their post received over 23,000 likes and nearly one million views. They caught the attention of not only Instagram users but also tech giants.
The innovative combination of tradition and technology resonated widely, making it a standout success for the brand.
Scanova Insight: Our recent data indicates a 6% increase in the number of custom-designed QR Codes over the past three years suggests a growing interest in personalized branding
5. QR Code on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is all about gratitude and togetherness.
In 2020, a teacher from FinallyinFirst made the holiday extra special for students. They used a digital QR Code element for a fun and interactive activity.
Curious to know more about it?
The activity involved Thanksgiving QR Codes to engage students in learning about nouns interactively and festively.
On scanning, students access prompts that lead them to categorize nouns as common, proper, singular, or plural.
This creative approach combined learning with festive cheer. Who knew you could mix education and celebration so seamlessly?
6. Black Friday QR Code
Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping times of the year for which every business, retailer, or marketer waits.
Shoppers look for discounts, while businesses anticipate sales—a mutually beneficial exchange.
By saying that, businesses get a chance to follow the most famous traditional marketing principle—the Limited Period Offer.
In the frenzy of fast-paced shopping, brands seek to make the most of this season. Additionally, they want to ensure a smooth customer experience.
This is where QR Codes come into effect. These may look like simple 2D Codes, but they increase engagement, drive store footfall, and connect brands with their audience.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
In 2023, Amazon announced its limited edition during the NFL Black Friday Game.
How?
During the live stream, they launched a special Black Friday QR Code campaign just for NFL fans. It was a hit!
With a quick scan, viewers got instant access to exclusive deals on all sorts of related goodies—merchandise, electronics, and even Amazon services.
The best part?
Fans didn’t have to leave their couches. A simple scan led them to grab those time-sensitive offers from their devices.
This made Amazon’s Black Friday sale promotion more interactive and engaging. The result was a massive boost in both interactive experience and sales.
It is a win-win for the brand and its customers!
7. Christmas QR Code
Christmas brings another festive opportunity for the brands to leverage festive marketing.
Brands leave no opportunity unturned to connect with their customers emotionally. After all, no brand ever sells a product. Rather, they build and sell an emotion attached to that product.
A famous soft drink brand, Coco-Cola, in 2024, teamed up with Tesco Media for their Christmas Campaign.
They wrapped the delivery van with a holiday hamper and a Christmas QR Code on it. Well, its print-media promotion is now not about billboards or hoardings. But, they have broadened their scope.
Moreover, they created a hashtag called #ISAWSANTA, pwhich is art of Tesco’s media strategy.
Isn’t it a fun and innovative way to connect with shoppers? Blending traditional holiday vibes with modern marketing strategies!
8. New Year QR Code
New Year marks the end of the holiday festive season. This time, everyone uses it as an opportunity to connect, send heartfelt messages, and more.
In 2020, Panda Express, an American Chinese food brand, launched a creative New Year campaign with Unit9.
When customers visited their stores, they could scan a QR Code from giveaway cards.
This New Year QR Code unlocked five interactive Spark AR experiences: red envelopes, firecrackers, lucky foods, a lion dance, and red lanterns.
Wasn’t it a fun and engaging way to celebrate the New Year with their guests? They added a modern element to the traditional New Year Celebration.
G. Key considerations for a Festival QR Code campaign
Designing an effective festival QR Code requires balancing creativity with functionality. Here’s a deeper look at how to ensure your QR Codes are visually appealing yet easy to scan:
1. Keep it simple
- Focus on clarity: More complex designs with too many details or excessive decorations can make scanning easier.
- Limit the data: Keep the data you embed in the QR Code to a minimum to avoid creating a dense pattern. Use shortened URLs or Dynamic QR Codes to make the pattern simpler and more scan-friendly.
- Avoid crowding: Leave some white space (called “quiet zone”) around the QR Code. This space acts as a buffer for the scanner, helping it distinguish the QR Code from the surrounding content.
2. Use contrasting colors
- Choose right colors: Traditional black-and-white QR Codes work well, but for a festive touch, use colors that match the festival theme. However, ensure a strong contrast between the foreground (QR pattern) and background.
- Avoid low contrast combinations: Avoid color combinations that make it hard for scanners to detect the QR Code (e.g., red on green). A dark color for the QR Code on a light background is usually the safest choice.
- Test with different devices: Colors that look good on a screen might not work as well when printed. Make sure to test your QR Code’s contrast in both formats.
3. Incorporate branding
- Add logos or icons: You can integrate a small logo, festival symbol, or icon in the center of the QR Code.
Also, ensure it doesn’t take up too much space—roughly 10-15% of the QR Code’s center is a safe guideline. This adds a personalized touch without compromising scanability.
- Stick to brand colors: If you’re designing for a festival sponsored by a brand, subtly incorporate the brand’s color scheme. This makes the QR Code recognizable while maintaining its festive look.
- Use decorative frames: Add themed frames or borders that enhance the festival’s atmosphere (e.g., Christmas lights, Halloween pumpkins, Diwali diyas) without interfering with the QR Code’s readability. Keep these elements outside the QR Code area to avoid impacting scan quality.
Pro tip: Scanova users who created a custom-design QR Code in last financial year 2023-34 got 6,037,931 QR Code scans
4. Test before using
- Scan on multiple devices: Test the QR Code on various devices (smartphones, tablets) and QR Code scanning apps. Some apps are more sensitive than others, so ensure they are universally accessible.
- Test in different environments: If the QR Code will be displayed in various lighting conditions (outdoors, low light), ensure it works well under those conditions. Glare or shadows can affect scanning.
By following these tips, you can create festival QR Codes that are eye-catching and festive but also practical and reliable, ensuring a seamless user experience.
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H. Festival QR Code best practices
Following some best practices is essential to get the most out of festival QR Codes.
These ensure that the QR Codes are visually appealing, functional, engaging, and capable of providing valuable insights.
1. Edit the festive QR Code content anytime
Unlike Static QR Codes, which permanently embed the data, Dynamic QR Codes allow you to edit content anytime.
- Adjust content based on feedback: If you realize that the initial content linked to the QR Code isn’t performing well, a dynamic QR Code allows you to update the URL or information without reprinting or replacing the QR Code.
- Offer time-sensitive information: Use dynamic QR Codes to provide time-based updates or seasonal content.
For instance, during a festival, you can share a schedule for one day and highlight special deals for the next. Dynamic QR Codes let you make these adjustments seamlessly.
- Handle errors easily: If there’s a mistake in the linked content (like a typo or incorrect link), dynamic QR Codes allow you to correct it immediately without creating a new QR Code.
2. Keep track of scan analytics to measure engagement
Many dynamic QR Code Generators like Scanova offer QR Code tracking. This feature allows you to track the number of scans, the location of scans, the type of device used, and much more.
This helps you identify peak engagement times and the most popular locations within the festival, allowing you to adjust your future strategy accordingly.
3. Place QR Codes strategically
Ensure that QR Codes are visible and accessible. Avoid placing them in areas with poor lighting or too high/low to be easily scanned. Ideal locations are eye-level on posters, banners, or display stands.
4. Encourage interaction
Add a clear call-to-action (CTA) near the QR Code. Statements like “Scan to Win Prizes,” “Explore the Festival Map,” or “Get Exclusive Discounts” make it clear what people will gain from scanning, increasing engagement.
By following these best practices, you’ll ensure that your festival QR Codes engage the audience and provide a seamless and user-friendly experience while gathering valuable insights for future events.
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I FAQ: Festival QR Codes
1. What is a Festival QR Code?
A Festival QR Code is a specially designed QR Code that is themed around a particular festival or event. It can be used to share relevant information, such as event schedules, ticket details, special offers, or interactive content, quickly and conveniently by scanning the Code with a smartphone.
2. How can Festival QR Codes enhance the event experience?
Festival QR Codes make it easy to provide digital content directly to attendees. They can be used for mobile event guides, RSVPs, ticketing, directions, festival maps, exclusive discounts, and interactive games, making the festival experience more engaging, efficient, and eco-friendly.
3. How do I create a Festival QR Code?
You can create a Festival QR Code using Scanova’s online QR Code Generator. It offers customization options, allowing you to adjust colors, add logos, or incorporate festive themes. Choose a dynamic QR Code if you want the ability to edit the content later.
4. What kind of content can I link to with a Festival QR Code?
You can link Festival QR Codes to various types of content, including:
- Event schedules and guides
- RSVP or registration forms
- Tickets or check-in pages
- Maps or directions
- Special discounts or offers
- Social media pages or contests
- Donation pages for charity events
- Safety guidelines or emergency contacts
6. How can I ensure my Festival QR Code is easy to scan?
To ensure your Festival QR Code is easy to scan:
- Use high-contrast colors for the QR Code and background
- Avoid adding too many decorations within the QR Code
- Maintain a clear “quiet zone” or margin around the QR Code
- Test the QR Code on different devices and in various lighting conditions
7. Can I customize the design of a Festival QR Code?
You can customize the design by adding festive elements like colors, logos, icons, or borders. However, avoid altering the core pattern too much, as it might impact scanability.
8. Where should I place Festival QR Codes at the event?
Place QR Codes in visible and accessible locations, such as:
- Event entrances or ticket booths
- On posters, banners, or flyers at eye level
- Near festival information desks or booths
- On tables, near seating areas, or food stalls
- On event merchandise like lanyards, badges, or wristbands
Ensure they are well-lit and easy to reach for scanning.
9. How can I track the performance of my Festival QR Codes?
You can track the number of scans, the location, device types, and scanning time using the Dynamic QR Code Generator. These metrics help you gauge audience engagement and the success of your festival campaign.
10. Can Festival QR Codes be used for fundraising or charity events?
Yes, Festival QR Codes are perfect for fundraising. Many businesses do charity funds during festivals. You can use Donation QR Codes, where attendees can contribute directly from their phones.