‍Coffee is huge right now – and set to get even bigger. Despite this demand, companies are still missing out on marketing opportunities that could transform their brand from a one-off experience to a long-term customer favorite. With so much choice alongside consumers looking to manage their budgets carefully, leveraging a strategic marketing approach to ensure enduring coffee brand loyalty is more important than ever.  

So how can coffee companies achieve this in a way that doesn’t put their brand at risk? By harnessing the power of the Quick Response or QR code.  While a QR code is a powerful way for coffee brands to digitalize, personalize and energize their entire marketing story, QR codes require a considered and informed strategy to be effective.  ‍

Beyond payment to customer engagement  

There is still a perception among some businesses that the QR code is simply another mechanism for static brand and company information or customer payments. Yet a product code executed effectively can go far beyond this, being a way to share content that perfectly aligns with where that individual is in their buying or decision-making journey. This has the power to quickly accelerate customer engagement and boost coffee brand marketing. A key advantage of the QR code is its capacity to personalize the content a customer sees, based around their particular tastes and priorities.  ‍

Advancing marketing potential 

As we already mentioned, the QR code is the perfect vehicle to communicate information on traceability and sustainability, as well as the history and back story of a coffee brand.  But these benefits go even further. For coffee brands, QR codes have the potential to enhance and enrich customer experience. The forms of marketing that QR codes can deliver are so wide-ranging that they can meet the needs and interests of every demographic of coffee lover. This could include discounts and loyalty programs to enhance take-up, special competitions that relate directly to a product or a venue or even simply alerting loyal customers to other products they might also enjoy, thanks to the power of cross-selling. 

QR codes can even empower coffee brands to leverage the power of gamification to boost engagement even further through options such as collecting points and prizes when customers attend a certain venue. At the heart of all of this is personalization, through which a well-executed QR code delivers content that exactly matches the profile and personality of the customer, whether that’s the ability to compare their “Coffee profile” with that of a friend, or being able to view the ethical impact of their favorite drink. 

However, as with many types of tech innovations, the QR code is not a silver bullet. To achieve its potential, it must be planned and executed in a way that tells a unique story about a coffee product. The focus should be on what the consumer will experience when they scan the code. Because scanning a code may be the only opportunity a brand has to connect with the individual, the content needs to be dynamic and non-static to cater to their interests and priorities. ‍

Connecting at the right moment 

Connecting with the customer is everything to coffee brand loyalty, yet many businesses miss their moment. Coffee is often an emotionally driven purchase. Despite the relationship that consumers have with coffee, businesses are still missing that connection – and missing out as a result. A precisely planned and implemented QR code has the power to present content customized to individual consumers based on their preferences and their stage in the buying journey. With a carefully crafted approach, a QR code has the power to boost coffee brand marketing and customer loyalty with the right message, in the right place, at the right time. ‍

Leverage the power of packaging 

Every business understands the impact of packaging on marketing success.  More than half of consumers are more likely to buy a product if they have connected with the packaging. A QR code placed strategically and in keeping with a coffee company’s overall brand can transform a product into an additional point-of-sale. In this way, an effective QR code can reduce the risk of missing out on sales because it provides a new and valuable direct-to-consumer sales channel that drives tap-to-purchase, exclusive product launches and other targeted initiatives.‍

Accelerating coffee brand loyalty 

The diversification of the coffee product market and of the coffee shop landscape demonstrates the huge potential for brands. Yet it also presents added competition and often challenging market forces. More than ever, coffee brands need to be able to show that they are unique, ethically driven and aligned with what their customers care about. A strategically executed and dynamic QR code such as those delivered by Blue Bite can achieve this and much more. The rewards are high but without the right approach, so are the risks.

To maximize QR codes and reap the many potential benefits, coffee brand companies should aim to work with a trusted partner with proven experience of connecting brands dynamically and thus more powerfully with their users. By doing so, they are more likely to achieve long-term customer loyalty. Now more than ever, coffee of all types, whether it’s enjoyed in or outside the home, is all about having a meaningful experience. By sharing a relevant and compelling marketing story, the QR code can help brands ensure that their product or venue is the one that consumers choose. ‍

A world of coffee brand marketing possibilities  

Blue Bite has been one of the pioneers in the smart products space for more than 15 years. We have been working with boutiques and major companies from fashion to wine and spirits to create unique digital experiences that engage their users and boost brand satisfaction. Unlike a static landing page, our Smart Products Platform allows brands to share brand information with consumers where and when you want, turning static labels into interactive experiences with a simple scan.