Marketers have a love-hate relationship with QR Codes.
Some say that they don’t work. But we differ.
According to Scanova’s data, our users alone attracted 52,448,365 QR scans in FY 2023-24, a 282% jump from FY 2021-22. Imagine how big it is!
If you plan well, your QR Code marketing campaign can be a great success, too.
Don’t believe us? Here is a list of the 33 most successful QR Code marketing campaigns of all time.
1. Dallas Area Rapid Transit System (DART)
DART is a public transport network in Texas, US. They aimed to reduce rider queries related to trip planning.
How? Earlier, DART would usually receive about 85% of rider calls for the bus’ whereabouts and its time of arrival.
With Dart’s collaboration with Scanova QR Codes, they reduced calls by allowing bus riders to scan a QR code for real-time updates.
Result? They saw half a million QR Code scans in over a year.
2. AutoZone’s QR Campaign, 2024
AutoZone is a prominent retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the US, Mexico, Brazil, and Europe.
They faced several challenges with other QR service providers, such as:
- Lack of cohesion
- Flexibility to edit QR Codes
- No access to user analytics
Later, they partnered with Scanova to tackle the issues mentioned above better.
They leveraged the Website URL, Document, and App Store QR Codes. Want to know how?
- Website QRs helped them gather customer reviews easily on Google
- Document QR Codes were leveraged to share product information, and
- App Store QR Codes were used to get people to download their mobile app
Autozone’s partnership with Scanova helped them attract 12 million+ QR scans, and counting to date.
3. Unstop Boost Registration Campaign, 2024
Unstop (formerly Dare2Compete) is a reputed platform that bridges the gap between talent and companies by organizing hackathons and competitions.
They attracted 5,17,000+ engineering student registrations using GenZ slang and QR Code in their billboard campaign.
Curious to know how?
Image source: Social Samosa
Unstop understood that their existing audience of 11 Million is Gen Z.
The Gen Z audience breathes in memes.
Unstop also used their audience’s language to connect with them.
They launched a QR campaign with the help of Ginger Monkey and crafted them in a Gen Z language.
Their partnership made everyone say—This Unstop QR campaign slaps.
Result? Got 1,92,38,341 impressions on their website, 11,56,873 social media impressions, and the highest of all time 5,17,000+ registrations from their target audience.
4. Travel with Us, 2024
A famous travel agency in the UK, Travel with Us, faced several challenges in enhancing the overall travel experience of the tourists.
Some of them are:
- Provide real-time itinerary updates
- Educational content during the institutional visits
- Updating resources real-time
- Track participation engagement
To solve these challenges, Travel with Us incorporated Scanova QR Codes. How?
Integrated Dynamic QR Codes to link to the digital itineraries. This lets organizers update the content with ease at any time.
This ensured that tourists could access real-time data instantly.
The solution also helped organizers significantly reduce manual labor costs and time.
Moreover, they could track the participation engagement with a tracking dashboard, gaining insights into user interactions.
As a result, they created 3455 QR Codes and managed to get 14.35 Million QR Scans.
5. Zomato’s Restaurant Award Campaign, 2024
In 2024, Zomato, to recognize and celebrate restaurants across various categories, hosted an Award Show.
Over 11,000+ restaurants participated in this Award Show.
Participating restaurants to enhance their chances of winning placed Zomato Restaurant Award QR Codes on diners’ tables.
This enabled patrons to cast their votes for their favorite restaurants.
The QR campaign concluded successfully by garnering 1.13 + Million votes from 140 cities across India.
6. Dunzo TV campaign IPL Finals 2022
Quick commerce platform Dunzo displayed a QR Code on the screen during the broadcast of the Indian Premier League Finals 2022.
It appeared as a TV screen glitch in the middle of the match.
This reminded people of the old days of television and antennas, triggering the thought—Is it a signal problem?
Moreover, a QR Code appeared with the text—Inconvenience is Regretted, Convenience is not.
Image Source: Afaqs
As people scanned, it led to a webpage containing details about Dunzo and its benefits.
It also offered a gateway to download the app from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store directly.
This ad was so successful that there was a sudden crash in the Dunzo app.
This was because more than 10 million people were watching the IPL finals and many scanned the QR Code.
That’s how Dunzo capitalized on the IPL final with QR Codes.
7. Sir Speedy’s Concert Promotion Campaign, 2010
In 2010, the National Entertainment Company entered into a sponsorship agreement with the National Fast Food chain and hired Sir Speedy to promote a concert and sell its tickets.
Image source: Beambox
Sir Speedy placed QR Codes on approx. 100,000 soda cups at a local outlet of National Fast Food.
Scanning the QR Code prompted guests to download the restaurant’s app, view concert timings, read about the band, and purchase tickets.
In the first release, the QR Codes received ~1,000 scans.
The campaign also raised the number of app downloads of the restaurant chain and helped spread the word about the concert.
8. Mountain Dew and Taco Bell’s Music Download Campaign, 2011
In 2011, Mountain Dew collaborated with Taco Bell for a campaign.
They let guests download music for free via greenlabeldownload website.
No necessary purchase was needed.
Every week, scanners could add a new artist’s song and video to their playlist.
With this, they combined product promotion with an engaging digital experience.
Well, this QR marketing campaign got 197,106 scans.
9. Heinz Environment-Friendly Packaging Campaign in US Restaurants, 2012
In 2012, Heinz printed a QR Code on ketchup bottles in US restaurants with a bold CTA.
With this effort, they promoted their new environment-friendly packaging.
Scanning a QR Code directed to a mobile contest with questions on sustainability.
This initiative made users make eco-friendly pledges like recycling more or using reusable bags.
For each pledge taken, Heinz planted 57,000 trees.
Guess what? Heinz reported that they received ~1 million scans via these QR Codes.
10. L’Oreal Sales Campaign, 2012
In 2012, L’Oreal placed a QR Code in each New York City taxi during New York Fashion Week.
This allowed people to browse and shop L’Oreal products while riding a taxi.
This five-day QR Code marketing campaign had a 7% conversion rate and increased L’Oreal app downloads by 80%.
11. Emart Sunny Sale Campaign, 2012
In 2012, Korean retailer Emart realized that it had low sales in the afternoon between 12 pm – 1 pm every day.
The retailer used a customized shadowed QR Code at different locations, which was scannable only during lunch hours, i.e., between 12 pm and 1 pm.
The campaign was named as “The Sunny Sale.’’
Scanning the QR Code offered people various offers and coupon codes.
The campaign increased sales by 25% during lunch hours. And the number of customers increased by 58%.
12. Taco Bell and ESPN Mobile, 2011
In 2011, Taco Bell used a QR Code, this time in collaboration with ESPN on its product and drinking cups to promote ‘Bowl Championship Series’ college football games.
On scanning the QR Code, users could see the football match video and the schedule of the upcoming matches.
The campaign got a total of 225,000 scans.
13. Turkish Airlines London Olympics Campaign, 2012
During the London Olympics 2012, Turkish Airlines ran a contest and placed QR Codes around the city’s bus stops.
They created a chance to win free tickets to the destination mentioned in the campaign.
The campaign attracted ~20,000 visits to the airlines’ website.
14. Samsung store QR Code
Say you have a brick-and-mortar store that’s being renovated.
In the meantime, the customers who come to your storefront see the work going on and return.
Now, that translates to the loss of potential business.
Samsung came up with an innovative solution for this.
One of their stores facing Apple was undergoing renovation.
At that time, Samsung risked losing customers to a competitor.
So, they came up with a unique solution—QR Codes. They helped them grab more customer engagement than ever!
Here, Samsung turned their closed store into a wall full of QR Codes.
Each QR Code gave customers a unique virtual experience on their phones.
This strategy was so successful that they got more traffic than when their store was open. That’s right.
These QR Codes were scanned more than 11000 times. That’s huge.
15. VivoCity’s The Great Singapore Sale, 2013
In 2013, Singapore’s largest shopping mall used a QR Code to engage visitors and increase its Facebook fan page following.
During ‘The Great Singapore Sale, ’ mascots named VivoCity Codey’s were dressed up as QR Codes, and they encouraged visitors to scan them.
Scanning the QR Code, visitors were taken to a contest page where they could win prizes. They had to ‘Like’ the mall’s Facebook page.
The Vivocity Codey’s saw 8,618 scans, and the mall managed to increase its Facebook Likes by 4,400.
16. Mytoys.de LEGO Campaign, 2009
In 2009, Mytoys.de, an online store for toys, ran an outdoor campaign where they created QR Codes using LEGO bricks.
When scanned, the QR Codes directed users to their online store, where they could purchase the LEGO bricks used to create the QR Code.
With this campaign, the store saw a 49% increase in the sales of LEGO.
17. Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut Cereal Promotion, 2011
In 2011, Kellogg’s partnered with a mobile technology company, Augume to launch a QR Code campaign.
Their campaign goal was to increase promotion and engagement of the product via mobile.
Kellogg’s placed a QR Code on the back of the Crunchy Nut Cereal box with the slogan “It’s morning somewhere. “
Scanning the QR Code directed people to a short video (amongst 13), depending on the time of the day.
As reported by Kellogg’s, the campaign generated 40,000 scans, 38,000 videos played, and 50,000 page views.
18. Burger King App Download Campaign, 2024
Quick service restaurant—Burger King—added a transparent QR Code to their delivery packets in India.
The campaign aimed at promoting their app downloads.
The idea is simple: download an app, unlock offers, choose an order method (delivery/takeaway/dine-in), and place it.
It came with a bold and straightforward call to action: “For Best Offers Download BK App.”
With this strategy, Burger King nudged users to take out their phones and scan a QR Code to explore offers.
This helped them engage their customers post-purchasing.
Additionally, it provided a direct way to buy instead of using third-party apps.
Fun Fact: Scanova’s App Store QR Code users attracted 732,628 scans in FY 2023-24
19. Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Campaign, 2024
In 2024, in India, KFC used newspapers to boost online orders.
In their newspaper ad campaign, they featured lucrative offers prominently enough to catch the audience’s attention.
This strategy made readers take out their phones and scan a QR Code.
They added a custom QR Code with a Logo with a call to action—Scan to Locate Us.
On scanning, it redirected to KFC’s website, which helped users find the nearest KFC store to place an order.
Scanova Insight: Over 6,037,931 scans were received by Scanova users who created custom QR Codes in FY 2023-24
20. ChaiPoint’s Feedback QR Campaign, 2024
An Indian food and beverage company, ChaiPoint, recently used QR Codes in their stores across Delhi, India.
An old saying goes—a happy customer is the key to growing your business. And they decided to pursue it rigorously.
They added a Website QR Code to their tea dispensing machines to collect feedback and improve their service further.
After all, nothing beats your customers’ feedback to know how you can serve them better.
21. Park+ App Promotion, 2024
Park+ is a go-to platform for car owners in India.
It displays a QR Code on the homepage’s above-the-fold section.
This has been done because the users of Park+, like Uber, avail their services more frequently on mobile devices than desktops.
The QR Code would help people easily access and download the Park+ mobile app on their phones.
Scanning the QR takes people directly to the app on the App Store/Google Play.
This initiative is a great example of simplifying the user journey for better conversions.
22. Zepto’s Walk Down Memory Lane Campaign, 2024
Zepto, India’s leading quick delivery app, surprised its customers by adding a QR Code to the delivery bags.
When scanned, each Zepto QR Code leads to a unique walk down the memory lane of childhood through innovation.
Here, the campaign’s goal is simple—create a memorable interaction with consumers through a simple touchpoint.
With this, it helps build a brand connection and offers an engaging experience.
Scanova Insight: One of Scanova’s retail-focused clients, specializing in shopper engagement, achieved an impressive 4.9 Million scans on a single QR Code over 2.5 years.
23. Scan and Listen to Chaayos Playlist Campaign, 2024
In 2024, Chaayos’ (Delhi) outlets, in an attempt to improve guest experience, shared a Spotify playlist via QR.
They turned their wall into Graffiti and added a black and white QR code to it.
The code’s call to action? “Scan to listen to Chayo’s Relax playlist.”
On scanning, visitors could access and enjoy the Chaayos Spotify playlist while sipping tea.
This campaign encouraged cafe visitors to linger longer and enjoy their time.
24. Being poster in IPL, 2022
A self-therapy startup, Being, also used QR Codes during IPL 2022.
It is common for fans to have posters to support their favorite team. But ‘Being’ did something different.
Image source: Fondationbotnar
They printed a QR Code on a poster and a message—Mental Health Matters.
When scanned, it directed users to download Being’s mobile app.
This ad campaign was low-cost and had a high impact. Why?
That’s because the stadium was filled with hundreds of people while getting aired to millions of people.
25. Nissan 2012 Lineup Launch Campaign, 2011
In 2011, Nissan launched a QR marketing campaign to enhance the customer experience during their new vehicle lineup, which will be held in 2012.
They added QR Code stickers across all the models.
On scanning, users could access information about the vehicles and their accessories, image galleries, offers, reviews, and more.
Jon Brancheau, Nissan North America Vice President of Marketing, named this campaign a silent salesperson.
Why? With QR Codes accessible on vehicles, users can access information anytime before and after working hours.
Source: AutoGuide
26. Guinness QR Cup Campaign, 2012
In 2012, beverages company Guinness wanted to be the most talked about brand in bars.
To achieve this, the brand manufactured special Guinness QR Cups for bars.
The cups were customized so that when filled with Guinness beer, a QR Code appeared on them.
The QR code was unreadable compared to any other beer-filled one.
On scanning the QR Code, guests can get promotional coupons, update their Facebook status, Tweet, and invite friends to join them.
Summing Up
Impressed with the examples you went through? So are we.
With creativity and correct execution, a campaign’s chances of recording success increase.
You can also download a QR Code Trends 2024 e-book and learn from more famous brands on innovative campaign ideas.
That’s all you need to know about successful QR Code marketing campaigns.
If you plan on using a QR Code to make your marketing campaigns successful, go ahead.
I can’t help but notice the most recent successful QR code campaign in this list is dated 2013 and many are considerably older. Has the use of QR codes for marketing campaigns fallen from favor? Are there any examples of campaigns that have been successful in 2017 or 2018?
WONDERFUL Post.thanks a lot for talk about..more wait ..