Wasp Barcode Technologies: The Barcode Solution People

Barcode Art Muscles into Manufacturing

It’s a fact. Black and white barcodes are not sexy, beautiful, or even interesting to look at. They don’t do back flips, are not colorful, nor do they make you dream of puppies and winning the lottery while looking at them. But, that’s all about to change with the advent of BARCODE ART. The new sensation that’s rocking the nation! Packaging designers and brand owners have long had a hate / hate relationship with the necessary evil that is barcodes. A barcode has to be on the package so that the product can be tracked and pricing can be changed without having to retag every time, but does it have to be so, um, ugly? Not anymore! A new type of barcode is emerging called vanity barcodes. These are “artistic” but still usable barcodes. Creative, huh? A few companies are starting to materialize who specialize in vanity barcodes, but some companies create them in-house. We’ve seen them shaped like a hand mixer, with added jelly beans on top, in the shape of a skyline, shaped like a school bus, a heart, a Christmas tree, a maze, etc… you get the idea! “Yeah, they are beautiful, but do they scan?” A barcode scanner reads the white space between the black lines, so there are some things you can change, and some you can not. For example, you can’t print them in certain colors that the barcode scanner can’t read, and you have to have a certain amount of “quiet space” on either side. If a barcode doesn’t scan, it can cost manufacturers big time. It is not cheap to retag merchandise, and most retailers also hit you with a rather large “charge back” when this happens. So, it’s rather understandable for one to be nervous about messing with these simple, black and white lines. If they are done correctly, yes, they can scan and be pretty at the same time. The key to this is testing, testing, testing! Be sure they are verified and that they work. So, in a nutshell, you can now have a barcode that is smokin’ hot, but is really smart, too!