Beyond the QR Code
Connecting physical collateral to purposeful digital experiences.
Role: Creative Direction, UX Strategy, Graphic Design
Scope: Print Collateral, Mobile Experiences, Customer Engagement
Client: Island City Massage
Thoughtful design connects the physical and digital worlds.
User experience doesn’t begin and end on a website. Every interaction someone has with a business, whether online, in person, or through a piece of printed material, contributes to the overall experience.
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As part of the Island City Massage brand refresh, I saw an opportunity to make our everyday marketing materials more purposeful. Rather than treating print and digital as separate projects, we developed three pieces of collateral that connect physical interactions to thoughtfully designed mobile experiences.
Each serves a different purpose, but the approach is the same: understand what someone needs in that moment and make the next step as simple as possible.
Google Review Cards
Turning a Great Experience into a Recommendation
Massage therapy creates a natural opportunity for personal interaction. At the end of a treatment, clients are already having a conversation about their experience, making it an ideal moment to hand them something that encourages both a future visit and a review.
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We developed a small, business-card-sized takeaway that serves as a physical reminder of their visit, with a QR code linking directly to Google to make leaving a review as easy as possible. Of course, the success of something like this depends on delivering an excellent customer experience in the first place. The card simply makes it easier for satisfied clients to share it.
In the first three months, these cards have helped generate eight organic customer reviews. We’re also seeing more customers discover Island City Massage through AI-assisted searches, making a strong public reputation increasingly valuable.
Digital Business Cards
A Physical Introduction, a Digital Connection
Business cards still have their place, but the way we connect with people has changed. Most follow-up happens digitally now, whether that’s through a website, social media, or an online booking platform.
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Taking inspiration from Linktree-style experiences, we redesigned the Island City Massage business card to work as both a physical reminder and a gateway to a more useful digital experience. Its QR code opens a mobile-friendly contact hub with quick access to booking, services, social profiles, directions, and contact information.
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The same QR code can also be saved to a phone and shared during networking or everyday conversations, even when a physical card isn’t available. It’s a simple way to exchange information while giving someone a more complete introduction to the business.
Promotional Flyers
From Discovery to Booking
Our promotional flyers have consistently been our most successful physical marketing materials, directly generating bookings across multiple markets. They’re designed to do more than introduce the business, featuring a service menu, pricing, and the information someone needs to decide whether to book.
Because the flyer already covers much of what a prospective customer would look for on the website, directing them there would introduce an unnecessary step. Instead, the QR code takes them straight to the booking platform, where they can choose a service and schedule an appointment.
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It’s a straightforward example of designing around the customer’s journey. The printed piece handles discovery and consideration, while the digital experience picks up at the point of action.
Small Details, Better Experiences
Good design doesn’t always require a complicated solution. Sometimes it’s about recognizing opportunities in familiar touchpoints and making them more useful. By considering how each piece fits into the larger customer experience, even simple marketing materials can deliver more value.
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Every business has touchpoints like these. The interesting part is figuring out what more they could do.