While NFC is a great technology for making purchases, it arguably provides more value after the sale, during an item’s use. Because NFC tags are small, durable, lightweight, and inexpensive they can be embedded into physical products that would otherwise have no digital connectivity. Once embedded with NFC, those products can drive to online content with just a tap, connecting the physical and digital worlds.
This functionality opens up new possibilities where all physical things can have an online identity. This identity is often referred to as an experience because it augments and enhances the experience of owning an item. Because experiences exist online, their possibilities are nearly endless. Marketers often take advantage of this, seeing it as an opportunity to provide consumers with relevant content and directly reach customers.
Examples include Adidas World Cup Official Match Ball, Staple Pigeon, and Sneaker Con Legit tags.
Additionally, these digital experiences can be added to in-person events.
For example, Lévy Gorvy leveraged NFC to add digital experiences to its “Warhol Women” exhibition, creating an even more interactive experience lasting beyond the in-person event. In another use, NFC is being used to activate chatbots to better engage in-person visitors.