I’ve been playing around with various 2D barcode formats over the last few days as something of an experiment.

QR code with logo

Microsoft Tag (custom)

While QR codes so far seem to be more established (at least in Japan) designing them to be visually interesting is a bit more of a challenge, while you can exploit the error correction to insert imagery into the code this isn’t the best way to do it, after all viewers may need the error correction in place when they scan it! All this said there are some great examples of well designed codes out there,  Set Japan have created some very interesting adverts incorporating the code.

Next up is Microsoft’s Tag, another 2D code but this time developed and owned by Microsoft, there is certainly the infrastructure there to support this and although still in Beta it is shaping up as a contender. Tag uses colours along with geometric patters of various shapes which makes it visually customisable and interesting – I had a quick attempt at customising one.

The use of colour does mean that it will stand out and allows you to get away from a uniform looking pattern but it does make them less recognisable as a 2D barcode. This format is also up against an already established QR code in Japan and as a propriety design from Microsoft will it be as willingly adopted?