Bacardi Rum's 'Wearable Album' QR Code Apparel Debuted at Paris Fashion Week

Bacardi has combined a few trends in promotional marketing—QR codes, musician partnerships and streetwear collaborations—to create a clever new apparel campaign.

Along with streetwear brand NAHMIAS and producer Boi-1da, Bacardi made a line of apparel that feature QR codes, which people can scan and listen to music by up-and-coming musicians.

THE WEARABLE ALBUM - presented by Doni Nahmias, @BACARDÍ, and yours truly. The first QR-powered clothing capsule that earns you live music rewards every time someone scans and listens to rising music artists. Pre-order: https://t.co/5dbWH1nDS1 pic.twitter.com/9q0RqCpJQV

— Boi-1da (@Boi1da) June 24, 2022

As an added incentive for end-users to wear the apparel, they'll earn "live music rewards" each time someone scans the code to listen to the music.

The apparel capsule (the preferred release medium these days) includes a T-shirt, hat, hoodie and jacket, each with different designs, but they share the message "Support Artists."

On that note, 100% of net profits from the collection will benefit associated artists. And with high price tags—the hat costs $225 and the jacket costs $1,000—there will be plenty to share with them.

#MusicLiberatesMusic is back, and bigger than ever.

Join @Boi1da, designer Doni Nahmias and BACARDÍ at Paris Fashion Week as we debut a brand new way to discover, amplify, and elevate rising music artists. Stay tuned. #DoWhatMovesYou pic.twitter.com/AnAxKxT0uc

— BACARDI (@BACARDI) June 23, 2022

"I've been looking forward to this next iteration of Music Liberates Music and how we can bring more attention to rising artists that are the future of music in an unexpected way, with some help from my friend Doni [Nahmias] and Bacardi," Boi-1da said in a press release. "This next class of Music Liberates Music artists have raw talent and passion, which I've seen first-hand in helping them to produce new tracks exclusive to the NAHMIAS drop. As someone who has been in the business of music-making for a long time, I'm excited for them to not only grow as artists, but to get the exposure they deserve."

Unlike most promotional apparel, this line debuted at Paris Men's Fashion Week, and the designers encouraged attendees to scan the QR codes as models passed by. Isn't that the whole point of it all?

QR codes aren't a new technology. But, thanks to things like QR code menus during the pandemic, we're all much more accustomed to using them now than even a few years ago. They're pretty genius for long-lasting promotions, because the creators can change where the QR code leads. Integrating them onto items like T-shirts, jerseys and more can get the message out there into the world pretty effectively and for a long time.