Recently wandered onto the following blog post concerning none other than “creative barcodes”: In Japan, Even the Barcodes Are Well Designed.

Here’s a sample:

I realized while reading this post, and while being thoroughly intrigued by the ingenuity of the idea, that there is certainly something very innate in the western culture that lends itself to conservatism — even within marketing.

I know this may seem like an offbeat observation given the West’s promotion of free speech, freedom of expression, religion etc. But not very often do we see the large corporations that fuel the West’s capitalism take risks. When they do — nowadays through viral videos or through the unpredictable Facebook page — it is promoted under the radar. The simple logic of appealing to the 2-parent-2-child masses means adopting a conservative and simple approach.

I get it, they’re just barcodes. But even when it comes down to what might seem like the most inconsequential bits of a package, Japan has not held back. The designs are cheeky and, if you wish to go even deeper into symbolism, poke fun at how seriously we regiment consumerism and the ruling concepts of Buy and Sell.

But these kitschy barcodes still carry a message for whichever company that decides to use them — they are willing to be a little different (at least while the idea remains novel). It’s a small gesture, a tiny risk in hindsight, but I like to believe that Marketing is made in the details. Not to say that the ‘bigger picture’ should be cast aside to attract dust, but that many small differentiating details may just transform you into a market leader — and isn’t that what everyone wants to be?

(P.S. Apologies for the fewer posts but I’ve been working furiously on a new design for the blog!)