In today’s crowded marketplace, standing out isn’t only about having a clever creative campaign or striking visuals. The brands that rise above are the ones that create interactive, well-connected experiences—moments that invite customers to connect, explore, and keep engaging long after the first impression.
Brand strategist and marketing influencer Oren Schauble, also known as @OrenMeetsWorld, regularly shares insights on branding, product packaging, and customer experience. He’s seen firsthand how something as simple as a QR Code can unlock meaningful engagement. Here’s how brands can apply this approach across the customer journey—in events, packaging, and beyond.
Turning event invitations into interactive moments
At a recent global fashion activation in Wangzhou, China, Oren’s team received metal QR Code event invitations from the conference organizers—elegant, collectible, and memorable. What really stood out, though, was the easily scannable QR Code that allowed attendees to instantly RSVP.
The impact was twofold: The invitation itself stood out as a unique keepsake, while the QR Code transformed it from a simple, static card invite into an interactive tool. Instead of simply informing, it incited action.
That’s the power of integrating Bitly QR Codes into your physical marketing materials: Something as simple as an event invite can unlock deeper and more interactive experiences. QR Codes can guide people directly to the next step—RSVPs, schedules, previews, or exclusive content—seamlessly bridging the gap between offline and online.
Connecting the dots in the customer journey
Oren emphasizes that the customer journey doesn’t stop at purchase and uses product packaging as an example. Let’s look at the unboxing moment: When a customer first opens a product, it’s a perfect opportunity to delight and encourage word-of-mouth sharing. Unboxing becomes inherently shareable.
But what happens after unboxing matters just as much as the unboxing moment itself. “Brands should think about how they connect after,” Oren explains. Adding interactive elements, such as QR Codes, to packaging extends the journey, guiding customers to resources or content that deepen the relationship. Consider where you can direct customers with your Bitly QR Code. How do you make it fun and easy for customers to move through their journey, from purchase to unboxing and learning more about your brand? What can you include on the packaging or integrate in the product that’s easy to scan and gives people the real value they want to pursue?
“Two things I always encourage brands to do with packaging is:
1. Optimize the unbox. If you have an aesthetic or interesting unboxing that gets shared through word-of-mouth, that is such huge additional value.
2. Think about how you connect after the unbox, whether it’s sharing an educational video or pro tips on how to use the product.”
Adding a Bitly QR Code to physical materials, such as packaging, can extend your customer journey beyond the purchase:
- Share a how-to video or pro tips on how to get the most out a product
- Offer exclusive loyalty rewards or discounts on next purchases
- Share a branded thank-you message from your team
- Enable easy product reviews and social media sharing
Instead of treating packaging as a one-and-done deliverable, brands can elevate the unboxing experience and transform the moment into a gateway for a deeper or richer brand experience.
Create connected experiences that deliver real value
Oren notes that, while Bitly QR Codes can be custom-designed and linked to any site or content, brands should always lead customers to content they genuinely want. Bitly makes this possible through Bitly Pages, our mobile-optimized landing pages.
With Bitly Pages, you can easily design a branded page, embed videos, and link to surveys or offers without needing a separate web build. Customers get a fast, frictionless experience—and you get the benefit of keeping everything on-brand and connected to Bitly Analytics, where you can see all your links, codes, and landing page performance in one place.
Measure and optimize engagement
What makes QR Codes more than just a nice touch? The data. With Bitly Analytics, you’ll know exactly how your interactive moments are performing:
- Which Bitly QR Codes were scanned most
- When and where customers engaged
- What content drove repeat interaction
This feedback loop lets you refine your strategies in real-time, making your next event or in-person activation even more effective.
Make every touchpoint interactive
As Oren demonstrates, marketing today is about finding ways to connect every dot throughout the customer journey—from physical event invites to package unboxing and post-purchase digital experiences. With Bitly QR Codes, short links, landing pages, and analytics, brands and marketers have the simple tools to make every touchpoint interactive, measurable, and memorable.
The takeaway? It’s not about the QR Code itself—it’s about the experience you create around it.
Feeling inspired? Get started with Bitly for free and start creating an unforgettable customer journey that keeps audiences coming back.
