Image: d-barcode

The Japanese graphic arts firm d-barcode creates customized barcodes for clients who want to use them to grab customers' attention. In Fast Company, Cliff Kuang writes:

They've even begun selling their wares to anyone who wants to license them, starting at $1,500 for the design, and $200 a year for licensing. A custom or exclusive use code will run upwards of $4,000--but given that companies spend millions on designing a single package, why don't we see more detailed thinking like this? Middle managers spend weeks arguing about kerning--it'd be better if they spent more time rethinking every inch of such highly prized real estate.

Link via Fast Company