When: June 26
What: One of the quietest revolutions in modern technology started 37 years ago when a pack of gum was purchased using a barcode and scanner in an Ohio supermarket, becoming the first time the Universal Product Code was used commercially. Over the decades, barcodes have become synonymous with efficiency and mass production and have expanded beyond supermarkets to manufacturing, hospitals, and even art museums. Recognize this ubiquitous and vital piece of modern life on June 26, the anniversary of its introduction.
Background: Devised by Bernard Silver and Norman Woodland in 1948, the idea for using bars and an optical sensor was inspired by the Morse code, and Woodland sketched out his first barcode from sand on a Florida beach. But it wasn’t until 1974, after a development race between RCA and IBM, that the National Association of Food Chains chose the IBM barcode system as their standard. Woodland and Silver will be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame this year for their invention of the barcode.
Story Pitch: This event encompasses all levels of manufacturing, retail and even marketing. Companies that develop and manage logistics systems can use this occasion to show just how far scanning and tracking technology has come by promoting their advances in the field with Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) codes and 2D barcodes, and the large variety of applications for tracking technology. Shipping companies and retailers can also highlight their efforts to standardize and to take on new technologies quickly, using the history of the barcode as a strong example of how important early adoption can be in promoting efficiency and cutting costs. Marketing and advertising companies that have begun to implement barcodes for use with mobile devices will want to take this chance to promote features that allow people to interact with ads, get more information on a product, and even make purchases with mobile apps.
Story Hook: Advances in cost-effective RFID tags may one day make it possible to scan a cart load of groceries all at once or to make sure food products aren’t going bad. What could this mean for supply chains, stores and employees? Keep the following in mind when making your pitch:
- What are some ways that may be overlooked in which barcodes, and other scanning methods, have changed our world?
- What creative methods are being used with 2D barcodes and mobile devices?
- What innovative technologies in retail and supply chain management are floundering because they aren’t getting enough support?
- Will barcodes ever be surpassed in certain industries?
Tips: Provide contact information for a retailer who is either adopting new scanning technology or whose business predates the rise in modern barcode scanning.
Resources:
Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals
(630) 574-0985
cscmpadmin(at)cscmp.org
http://cscmp.org
National Grocers Association
(703) 516-0700
www.nationalgrocers.org
National Inventors Hall of Fame
(571) 272-0095
media(at)invent.org
www.invent.org
Retail Industry Leaders Association
(703) 841-2300
www.rila.org
–Researched, compiled & written by Nicholas Testa
Event Dates & History Today from CHASE’S Calendar of Events
