QR Codes for Media and Entertainment
Show notes, press kits, and honest sponsorships
Podcasts, shows, press kits, posters, and trailers can all carry a QR code that leads fans to an episode, a press page, or a sponsor’s offer.
The FTC says a disclosure hidden behind a link or button is easy to miss and not clear and conspicuous.
A code can lead to the offer, but it cannot be where the sponsorship is disclosed.
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Where Media Brands Use QR Codes
Each code connects something people watch or hear to the page behind it.
Podcasts and Shows
Show notes from the screen
A code on a video episode or promo card opens the show notes, guest links, and sources.
Press and PR
The press kit on every release
A code on a press release or event badge opens photos, bios, and contact details.
Posters and Trailers
From the wall to the screening
A code on a poster opens the trailer and the official ticket or streaming page.
Sponsor Segments
The offer, after the disclosure
A code on screen during a sponsor read opens the sponsor’s offer page for viewers who want it.
What Are QR Codes for Media and Entertainment?
A media and entertainment QR code is a code on a poster, video frame, press release, or merchandise that opens a trailer, show notes, ticket page, press kit, or sponsor offer. It links people to content; it does not replace on-screen disclosures, captions, or ticket checks.
What the FTC Says About Sponsorship Disclosures
The FTC answers these questions in The FTC’s Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking.
- Hyperlinked disclosures: A button labeled DISCLOSURE or LEGAL that links to the full disclosure is easily avoidable and not clear and conspicuous.
- Video placement: A disclosure at the end of a video is easy to miss; one at the beginning is better, and multiple disclosures during the video are better still.
- Live streams: Viewers can join at any time, so periodic disclosures throughout the stream make them more likely to be seen.
- Platform tools: A platform’s built-in disclosure feature is not a guarantee; responsibility rests with the creator and the brand.
- Wording: Short labels like Ad or Advertisement at the start of a post are likely to be effective.
What a Media QR Code Can Open
- Show notes: Guests, links, and sources for one episode.
- Press kit: Photos, logos, bios, and media contacts.
- Trailer and tickets: The official trailer and box office or streaming page.
- Sponsor offer: The promo page for a sponsor read, after the spoken or on-screen disclosure.
- Newsletter signup: A subscribe form for fans who want release news.
How to Create a Media QR Code in TLinky
Use one dynamic code per episode, release, or campaign, so each one opens the right page.
Here is the step by step guide:
- Log in to your TLinky account, click Create, then select QR Code.
- Name the code and choose a domain (domains apply to dynamic codes and depend on your plan).
- Select Link for show notes, trailers, or offers, or File for a press kit PDF.
- Enter the page URL, or upload the file.
- Customize Templates, Colors, and Design to match the show or campaign, click Generate QR, then Save Changes and download.
Pro Tip: Keep a code on screen for at least a few seconds so viewers have time to open their camera.
Disclose First. Link Second.
Where Media Brands Place QR Codes
- Video lower thirds: Show notes or sponsor offers during the segment, working much like QR codes in TV commercials.
- Posters and standees: Trailers and ticket pages on poster QR codes.
- Press releases and badges: Press kits and media contacts.
- Merch tags and vinyl inserts: Exclusive content and newsletter signup.
- Event screens: Schedules and live polls.
Keep Media Codes Clear
- Say the sponsorship out loud or on screen: The disclosure belongs in the content itself, not behind the code.
- Repeat disclosures in long streams: Viewers join at different times.
- Match the code to the episode: A generic homepage frustrates someone who scanned for one guest’s link.
- Size codes for the screen: A code that scans on a laptop may be too small on a phone replay.
- Keep press kits current: Swap old photos and bios before each release.
New Episode. Same Code.
New episode, same code. Point it to the latest show notes, and posters already up keep pulling listeners in.
Media QR Code Questions
Can a QR code be the sponsorship disclosure?
No. The FTC says a disclosure reached through a link or button is easily avoidable and not clear and conspicuous. State the sponsorship in the video or audio itself.
Where should a disclosure appear in a sponsored video?
At the beginning is better than the end, and multiple disclosures during the video are better still, according to FTC guidance.
Does a platform’s paid partnership label cover the disclosure?
Not necessarily. The FTC says a platform tool is no guarantee, and recommends adding your own disclosure as well.
What should a podcast QR code open?
The show notes for that exact episode, with guest links and sources. A generic homepage makes listeners search for what they heard.
Should a press kit code go on every release?
Yes, if it points to a page you update. One press kit page with the latest assets works better than a new file for every announcement.
See How QR Codes Can Grow Your Business
Other entertainment businesses use codes for fans, tickets, and releases.
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Start Your Media QR Code
Put show notes, trailers, and press kits behind every poster and episode, then point each code to the latest release.