They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but many still do. The same goes for products. Our first impression comes from the packaging, which signals whether something is luxury or everyday, eco-friendly or wasteful, consumer-focused or designed for business.
Today, packaging is more than a protective shell—it’s your brand’s storytelling platform. It sets expectations, supports unboxing moments, and shapes reviews. As customers increasingly live and shop in a digital world, packaging is evolving from static labels to interactive content.
Quick Response Codes make it simple to turn any product into a connected brand experience. With just one scan, you can bridge the physical and digital worlds, sharing your brand’s story in a richer, more interactive way.
Note: The brands and examples discussed below were found during our online research for this article.
Why packaging is now a storytelling opportunity
Consumer expectations have changed across nearly every industry. Trends that accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic are the norm: People now routinely socialize and shop online, while also placing higher value on local products, competitive pricing, and trusted community recommendations.
So what does that mean for brands and how they present their products? It means consumers increasingly expect connected packaging that goes beyond static labels, delivering richer, more interactive experiences through tools like QR Codes and augmented reality (AR). They appreciate brands that offer personalized experiences while minimizing environmental impact and costs. For example, sharing product information via QR Codes instead of paper leaflets.
Smart packaging design is now a game changer, not an afterthought. One study found that packaging influences repeat purchases for 59% of consumers.
The good news is that packaging QR Codes benefit brands as much as consumers. They’re affordable, relatively low-carbon, and easy to scale, even for products that move billions of units annually. It’s no wonder 66% of brands use QR Codes on packaging today.
Types of content that work best for packaging QR storytelling
QR Codes can connect to almost any digital content, from webpages and social media profiles to surveys and AR experiences. However, some types of content lend themselves especially well to packaging.
Brand storytelling on packaging is about meeting customers in the moment they’re using your physical product. You’ve already built awareness and guided them through the sales funnel. Now, the story you want to tell is how great the product is and how they belong to a loyal customer base.
User-generated content galleries
One way to enhance the customer experience is to surround each shopper with social proof, making them feel part of a community of people who made the same choice. Think photo galleries, haul videos, reviews, and testimonials.
A QR Code on product packaging can bring all this content together in one place, such as a branded gallery or a hashtag on social media. Customers can browse what others have posted and add their own contributions, too.
Interactive quizzes or product match tools
Another way to boost customer engagement is through interactive experiences. Even if the product is single-use, you can extend the relationship with interactive quizzes or tailored product recommendations.
You can build lightweight quizzes in minutes using a generator of your choice, add a link to it on a mobile-ready Bitly Page, and share the page via QR Code on your packaging. Then feed customer responses back into your marketing efforts, offering personalized product suggestions, discount codes, or exclusive deals.
Short-form video and brand documentaries
Consumers increasingly care about the stories behind the products they buy, from sustainable credentials to local community ties. Lifestyle brands (or any mission-driven brand) can gain an advantage by sharing these stories with their audience.
Of course, it’s hard to fit that context onto a label. Bitly Codes give you more space for brand stories, linking to URLs with short videos, documentaries, or behind-the-scenes content that deepens customer connection.
What stories CPG brands can tell with QR Codes
We’ve talked about how to tell stories through product packaging. Now let’s take a closer look at the kinds of stories that resonate most.
At a time when customers value authenticity, it’s crucial to share stories about your brand’s purpose, supported by testimonials from other customers. You can also guide people toward a purchase by educating them about your products: how they’re made, why they represent good value, and what sets them apart.
Here are four of the most important stories to tell with your product QR Codes.
Showcase your brand values and mission
Many consumers place high value on sustainability, yet there’s often a disconnect between their expectations and how brands present it. Many customers struggle to understand sustainability labels and say they aren’t sure they can trust corporations.
The solution is better information. Brands and retailers need to do more to explain their sustainability commitments. The same goes for purpose-driven initiatives like charitable donations and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. You have to show your work.
QR Codes make it easier to share details about your values with clear, meaningful explanations. For example, instead of only showing a Fairtrade label, you could include a QR Code for video content that explains the Fairtrade movement.
For inspiration, check out IKEA’s sustainability report. Alongside their annual written report, they produce a consumer-friendly video that can be shared anywhere.
Bring your product journey to life
Another way to showcase brand values is to tell the story of each product— literally. Take customers behind the scenes, from design to production, so they can see every step of the journey.
For example, sustainable shoe brand Kengos released a video titled “The Production Process,” walking customers through how they source and use plant-based fibers. They quickly found that sharing sustainability information through video drove far more engagement than website copy or photos alone.
Of course, your product journey might change over time as the product or supply chain evolves. But with QR Codes, it’s easy to update the destination and share fresh digital content without needing to redesign your existing packaging. For instance, toy brands using QR Codes could initially link to a sustainability video, then later change the destination URL to direct to content that highlights a safety certification update—all with the same printed code.
Educate your customers in smart, visual ways
You can enhance the customer experience even more by educating your shoppers. With a little extra help, they’ll get more out of their purchases.
Use QR Codes to share how-to videos, demos, tutorials, or inspiration. They’re especially useful for products that are new, niche, or have multiple uses. That way, you can pack in more relevant information without cluttering your packaging.
For example, brands marketing beauty products with QR Codes can use them to highlight ingredient sourcing, demonstrate application techniques, or share sustainability stories. This gives customers richer, more trustworthy product education.
Another advantage of sharing details via QR Code is the ability to track how people interact with them. If you notice customers often scan QR Codes for instructions on a specific product, it could signal that they’d appreciate more support content in that area.
Collect reviews and build advocacy
Brand storytelling isn’t one-way. There’s another narrative evolving: how customers talk and think about your products.
QR Codes make it easy to harness that story and share it with others. You can connect customers to review platforms, social media profiles, or referral codes in a single scan. When customers share their experiences, you can feed that content back into your marketing strategy.
With Bitly, you can create branded QR Codes and short links for all your review pages. And because Bitly Codes are Dynamic, you can update the link over time. For example, if you have many Google reviews but want to build your Trustpilot profile, simply redirect the code to the new platform by updating the destination URL.
Segmenting your storytelling by audience
There’s more than one way to tell a story. Not everyone will respond to your brand the same way: Different people prefer different formats, content, or styles to form an emotional connection.
It’s worth breaking down your target audience into meaningful segments. Personalizing your storytelling for each audience segment helps you build stronger connections and encourages lasting customer loyalty.
First-time buyers vs. loyal customers
One of the simplest ways to segment your audience is by familiarity with your brand. Newcomers and loyal customers are often motivated by very different factors.
First-time buyers are usually guided by current market trends. They tend to be price-sensitive, environmentally conscious, and drawn to authenticity. That means they’ll respond best to content that shares your brand mission and values.
Loyal customers have different needs. They already trust your brand and now want to feel that their repeat business is valued. In addition to loyalty programs and rewards, they appreciate content that helps them feel like insiders, such as behind-the-scenes videos, early access to new products, or surveys about upcoming designs or improvements.
Regional customization by market
If you sell products across a wide area, you’re likely to have different local audiences. For example, different U.S. states might have unique product regulations, marketing guidelines, tones of voice, or even regional vocabulary. (Spare a thought for soft drink brands, which have to adapt their terminology by region.) You might also run regionally targeted promotions.
QR Codes help ensure the right customers get the right message. When someone scans a code, you can see their approximate location by city, state, or country. That data allows you to route customers to region-specific landing pages or offers.
Lifestyle-based narratives
You can tailor storytelling content on a more granular level than location or loyalty status. Within your audience, you’ll likely have multiple groups with their own priorities and preferences. For example, busy parents, working professionals, and students might all buy the same snack, but each group has different interests and routines.
QR Codes can help you direct these segments to more relevant content. For instance, a short quiz could guide customers to a brand documentary that resonates with their values, or let them choose between behind-the-scenes stories, sustainability journeys, or product care tips when they scan the QR Code.
Creative examples of QR Code storytelling on packaging
Now that you understand the theory behind QR Code storytelling, let’s look at some practical examples. Here are three household brands reaching customers both in-store and at home through their product packaging.
Oatly: Traceability and sustainability narratives
Oatly is a well-known dairy alternative brand, producing oat drinks and dairy-free versions of yogurt, custard, and even ice cream. Their messaging focuses on authenticity, simple recipes, and sustainability.
In 2024, they took this commitment further with a QR Code campaign on oat drink cartons and billboards. The campaign shared exact figures about their climate emissions and challenged other dairy companies to do the same.
This form of brand storytelling highlighted their sustainability efforts and reinforced Oatly’s image as an authentic, activist brand.
Tetra Pak & Absolut Vodka: Interactive connected packaging
Tetra Pak, one of the world’s best-known packaging suppliers, partnered with Absolut to transform the spirits market. Absolut, known for its premium vodka and artistic collaborations (like with the Andy Warhol estate), has used QR Codes on packaging for multiple innovative campaigns.
In 2022, Absolut introduced QR Codes on every bottle to share regionally-specific product information and guidelines on responsible drinking. But they didn’t stop there. In 2024, Absolut Italy launched a line of limited-edition gift bottles, each with a unique QR Code that buyers could personalize with voice notes, photos, videos, and more. Recipients could then scan the code to view those messages in AR.
Meanwhile, Absolut Canada focused on seasonal engagement. Since 2020, they have marked the winter holidays with special mailers for young professionals, including gift tags, cocktail recipes, and a QR Code directing customers to the nearest store stocking their products.
Danone’s Track & Connect service
Many baby brands use QR Codes to build trust with parents by offering transparent sourcing and safety data.
Danone (the parent company behind familiar U.S. brands like Dannon) is best known for its yogurt and breakfast products, but it also produces baby formula, a category where traceability and quality assurance are essential.
Consumer concerns about baby formula traceability and safety remain high in China, due to past product contamination incidents. Although Danone wasn’t implicated, they moved proactively to reassure parents.
In 2020, Danone launched the Track & Connect program. Shoppers could scan a QR Code on each pack of baby formula to see where it was manufactured and the route it travelled. Inside each formula tin, a second QR Code let customers verify that the product was authentic and not a lower-quality imitation. This extra layer of transparency helps build long-term confidence among parents.
Best practices for QR Code brand storytelling
Your brand has a great story to tell, but even the strongest narrative can get lost without the right execution. Follow these best practices to ensure customers connect with the story you want to share.
Make your value proposition clear
When you create a QR Code with Bitly, you can customize the frame around the code, including a call to action (CTA). That CTA is essential, as it tells customers exactly where the code leads and why they should scan it. Without a clear CTA, customers may hesitate, and your content could be overlooked.
For example, a snack package might use a CTA reading “Scan to Meet the Makers” or “See How It’s Made” to build curiosity and trust, while a non-profit marketing with QR Codes could say “Scan to See Your Impact,” making the call to action match the audience’s motivation.
Don’t forget to use other Bitly customization features, like adding your brand logo, to build even more credibility.
Optimize the mobile experience
Almost everyone will scan QR Codes on product packaging with a smartphone. That means the content you share should be mobile-responsive, fast-loading, and easy to use.
For example, if you link to a product care video, make sure the video plays smoothly on a phone screen and loads without delays.
Bitly Pages helps you create mobile-optimized landing pages in just minutes. You can include everything from brand stories to videos, or embed surveys and feedback forms from other platforms. They’re especially useful if you want to build multiple location-specific landing pages for different audience segments.
Update content without reprinting
When you print QR Codes on product packaging, you’re sending out thousands or even millions of codes. It’s highly likely the content you want to share will change before all those products are consumed.
With Dynamic QR Codes, you can update the content or destination of each code over time. Swap out seasonal campaigns, add new story chapters, or direct customers toward a new review platform.
Track performance to improve engagement
Every time a customer scans a QR Code, you gain another valuable snippet of insight about your target audience. Bitly Analytics helps you track scans for each QR Code, along with the referrer, location (city and country level), and device type (iOS, Android) depending on your Bitly plan.
You can feed that data back into your marketing strategy to ensure you’re delivering relevant, valuable content to every customer.
Turn your packaging into a storytelling platform
There’s one more reason why product packaging has become so important to marketers. Around the world, privacy legislation is tightening, and third-party cookies are disappearing. It’s harder than ever for brands to see what customers are doing online or reach them directly.
Product packaging, however, is about as direct as it gets. When someone scans a QR Code on your product, you know they’re most likely a customer. You can target them with tailored content, offers, and storytelling while using first-party data from these interactions to better understand your audience.
Bitly makes it simple to create branded QR Codes and connect with your audience in real time. You’ll benefit from a smoother user experience, real-time data, and more direct customer relationships.
How Bitly supports QR Code storytelling at scale
QR Codes are transforming product packaging from static labels into dynamic brand storytelling platforms. They help you build brand loyalty, deliver richer product education, and connect with customers in the moments that matter. You can update content any time, track engagement, and make data-driven improvements with ease.
Bitly gives you everything you need to manage QR Code storytelling at scale. With branded short links, custom QR Code frames, dynamic redirects, and in-depth analytics, you can deliver consistent, mobile-first experiences across millions of packages. Bitly also helps you organize and update campaigns across product lines and regions, so you stay agile and relevant in a fast-changing market.
Ready to transform packaging into an interactive brand channel? Explore Bitly’s QR Code solutions to connect with customers in modern, meaningful ways.
