In college I interned for a well-known toy company. As a writer, the last place I expected to be placed was the packaging department. I quickly learned just how much thought, design, engineering and consideration goes into making something that’s ultimately thrown away. It’s pretty intense.

When our awesome IT Director pointed out that Sixpoint Brewery (in Brooklyn) would be using vanity barcodes on their new cans, I was instinctively intrigued. The artsy barcodes are designed to resemble the NYC skyline (even Lady Liberty makes an appearance) and each one is entirely scannable.

Just yesterday, the Wall Street Journal ran an article titled Art in Aisle 5: Barcodes Enter Expressionist Period

According to their report, "When Sixpoint Brewery planned to launch a line of canned beer this year, the Brooklyn, N.Y., company set out to fashion the perfect can design. It soon realized, ‘you need this big, ugly barcode so people can scan them,’ says Shane Welch, president of Mad Scientists Brewing Partners LLC, which owns Sixpoint. ‘I thought, why can’t we do our own custom barcode?’ Launched last month, the silver cans bear a barcode that integrates the Statue of Liberty and skyscrapers."

Way to stand out and make the customer experience a little more enjoyable, Sixpoint. Everything I’ve heard about the brewery and the beer is fresh, innovative and exciting. Hope to pick up some of those cans soon.

TAGS [ SIXPOINT BREWERY | BARCODE ART ]