PayPal is leveraging its transaction graph to offer advertisers insights based on actual purchases instead of just clicks or impressions. This approach allows brands to track the entire customer journey and measure campaign effectiveness more accurately. Early results show significant increases in transaction spend for companies like Ulta Beauty.

This article explores the history and significance of barcodes, highlighting their role in connecting products to data in a capitalist economy. It discusses how designers have creatively reinterpreted barcodes while maintaining their functional integrity. The piece also touches on the rise of QR codes and their contrasting reception.