What is an NFC pin badge?
The NFC pin badge from Smart Giveaway is a pin with an integrated NFC chip, designed for conferences, trade fairs, product launches and community events. The badge is worn on the lapel, on a lanyard or on a bag, and a short tap with a smartphone opens a defined piece of content without an app. This can be the wearer’s profile page, an event programme, a download link for slides or an exclusive area with videos and speaker materials.
Unlike lanyard cards or paper badges, the NFC pin is reusable in the long term and can be reprogrammed between events. Staff receive a badge whose target URL changes per campaign, for example pointing to the lead page during the Swiss Handelstage and to the follow-up catalogue after the fair. Price from CHF 3.80 per unit at 100 units, which makes the badge a scalable promotional item for larger participant groups.
How it works
The badge contains an NTAG213 or NTAG216 chip. The NTAG213 with 144 bytes is sufficient for a URL, the NTAG216 with 888 bytes additionally stores a small vCard or a campaign ID. The chip operates passively at 13.56 MHz according to ISO 14443A, with a range of 1 to 4 centimetres. On tap, the system notification appears on the smartphone, a tap opens the target page in the browser, with no app and no registration.
In the event context, three scenarios are common. First, the contact exchange, in which the badge shows the wearer’s profile with photo, role and contact buttons. Second, the content drop, in which slides and a feedback form appear after a talk. Third, activation, in which exclusive event content such as behind-the-scenes videos, prize draws or closed community areas is unlocked. All taps are logged anonymously, and the evaluation shows how many contacts a speaker or a booth host generated. The stored URL can be swapped at any time in the dashboard, including during a running event.
Personalisation and variants
The badges are available in three shapes: round with 32 or 44 millimetre diameter, square with 30 millimetre edge length, or individually die-cut in free form for runs of 500 units and more. Available materials include metal with enamel inlay, printed acrylic and recycled aluminium. Fastening is optionally via magnet, butterfly clutch or safety pin, with magnet recommended for delicate textiles such as silk or thin shirts.
Finishing is by 4c digital printing for acrylic, enamel colour fill for metal and laser engraving for aluminium. The NFC symbol is optionally applied to the back, or can be made completely invisible on request. For event series, Smart Giveaway offers preconfigured sets in which speakers, staff, sponsors and guests receive different colour codes and different target URLs. Each group is evaluated separately in the dashboard, which simplifies success measurement of individual sponsor activations or speaker sessions.
Ordering and delivery
The minimum quantity is 100 units, with prices starting at CHF 3.80 for printed acrylic and CHF 5.50 for metal with enamel. Production is carried out in two stages, first the mechanical manufacturing, then the chip programming in Lucerne. Delivery time is 10 to 14 working days after layout approval. For rush orders, a 72-hour express option is available for runs up to 300 units at a surcharge.
Included in the price are the chip, finishing, group assignment in the dashboard, tracking and URL changes for 12 months. From year two onwards, a platform fee of CHF 0.80 per active badge per year applies. If not renewed, the badges remain functional but the statistics are frozen. On request, Smart Giveaway delivers directly to the event venue or in individual packaging per participant, including name and QR fallback on the packaging. Shipping is insured, and for trade fairs in the EU a pre-cleared direct shipment is available.
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