Want to Troll With a Never Gonna Give You Up QR Code? Here Are 7 Ideas to Try!

Rick rolling is a well-known form of online trolling.

It’s simple. Your goal is to trick your prospect into visiting an unexpected link. And that would be Rick Astley’s hit song “Never Gonna Give You Up.”

It goes like this…

• Make a promise (a fake one).
• Give your prospect a link (or in this case a Never Gonna Give You Up QR code) to said promise.
• Watch them rage (but mostly laugh) as they get rick rolled!

For reference, the QR code you’ll use should look something like this…

The Never Gonna Give You Up QR Code will lead to Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up music video on YouTube.

But Why Never Gonna Give You Up QR Code?

Cause they won’t see it coming!

Look, rick rolling someone with random hyperlinks is easy. But no one expects to get trolled by scanning a QR code into their phones.

It’s creative, and you’ll laugh in anticipation for their reactions!

7 Rick Roll Ideas

You can only rick roll someone so much….

So your number of tries are limited, which means you need to make the best of each attempt.

Today, we’ll help you with that. We’ll show you how to rick roll someone creatively and for good laughs!

So to get started…

#1 – Rick Roll through Birthday Gifts

This is a trick you can’t try too often. Maybe you can pull it off once or twice in a circle of friends and family.

But still, it’s worth a shot!

How it Works

Give your friend or family member a physical or electronic gift card with a QR code on it. Mention that the code leads to a video montage specially prepared for them.

Let them scan it into their phones, then sit back and laugh!

Take it to the Next Level

Save this prank only for your romantic partner.

After all, “Never Gonna Give You Up” is a romantic song – albeit a cheesy one!

And trust us, it can’t go wrong. At worst, they’ll think it’s cheesy. But 99% of the time, they’ll find it sweet and funny!

However, birthday gifts aren’t the only way to rick roll someone. After all, you can…

#2 – Rick Roll through a Presentation

Maybe you’re delivering a presentation to your co-workers, a class you’re teaching, or a hobbyist gathering.

If so, you can add a QR code in your slides!

That code can be a promise for extra materials. It can be a reference to an important information source that your audience wants to read.

Let them scan the code in and enjoy a good laugh!

#3 – Trolling at Work

If your professional environment is a little accepting of jokes and sweet camaraderie, then go for it.

This should be the case if you’ve been in a company for a long time, or you know the person well enough.

So they shouldn’t mind getting rick rolled. In fact, the prank might improve your working relationship!

Here’s How to Do It

When exchanging contact info with someone you know at work, instead of giving out a business card, you can present a fake contact QR code on your phone.

A contact QR code (when scanned), allows a person to save your contact details to their phones (and often their Whatsapps).

But with this trick, instead of receiving your contact info, they get rick rolled!

Just note that this is more likely to work with new co-workers than old ones. Old employees probably have your contact info by now, so they won’t fall for the trick!

#4 – Rick Roll Everyone You Know On Social Media

Note – this only works once. So you have to get it right the first time…

Know what a shared interest you and your social media connects have? It’s an eye for trends and excellent online deals!

Be the first to spill the beans on those. If you see an amazing offer at a store or a meaningful article, post a QR code to attract their attention!

It’s your judgment call. But for the greatest chances of success, you should…

Post in the Appropriate Group

If you’re rick rolling in a hobby group (gaming, gardening, etc.) – then post a QR code that promises critical information.

Just make sure that it’s relevant for the group. That is, don’t go posting QR codes for cookie discounts in a celebrity fan group…

Also, for maximum effect, keep the QR code to the very end. Add a long and inspirational story that takes your audience through a long read.

You know those sob (or inspirational) FB page stories that span a few paragraphs, right? That’s what you should copy.

Or, you can come up with an intriguing sales offer that they can’t resist!

You want your audience to get sucked into the story, where they would need to scan the QR code to access more information!

#5 – Stick it on Your Car

This is one of the funnier ones. And for a reason…

You can actually tape the reactions of the people you rick roll!

How it Works

Print out a large QR code, and post it on the back of your car (preferably the back windshield).

Write a small message saying “scan for free Wi-Fi” right below the sticker.

From there, make sure to have a hidden camera rolling (again at the back windshield), and record the reactions of the scanners!

Fish for More People

To get the best result, make sure to do this trick in a public location.

That is, don’t expect to get results from your neighborhood. You want to be in a place buzzing with people!

A mall parking lot would do you solid. Or, a busy street full of restaurants is a good idea!

#6 – Fast-food Line Trolling

Alright, this one’s a bit nasty. But it’s easy to pull off.

You can try this trick with someone at home, or you can try it on the street.

How it Works

Print a QR code, and claim it to be a McDonald’s menu for online delivery.

Post it on a gift card. But design the card to look as official as possible (with logos and your phone numbers).

Why My Phone Number?

You can turn this into a phone prank if all goes well.

If you run into a really unsuspecting prospect, they’ll think that the QR code was bugged. So expect them to call you inquiring about your “McDonalds menu.”

You can go along, pretending to be an employee, while listing off fake McDonalds meals!

It sounds mean, but you’ll be laughing for a few days after pulling this off.

Should I Try This Publicly?

Do so at your own discretion. This is best pulled off with family members and friends.

But it’s one of the best you can try. Because you get a live role in the prank if you ever get to the phone call stage!

#7 – Rick Roll With Ad Block Downloads

This is the true definition of irony.

You’re promising prospects a YouTube ad block with excellent features. But instead, you’re redirecting them to YouTube’s most annoying troll!

How to Pull it Off

Social media is your best option.

You want to market this as a consumer. After all, you’re not a business developing an ad block from scratch.

And if you were, rick rolling would be the worst way to get sales.

Instead, write a post about the ad block on your FB. Or tweet about it. Or even better, use Instagram!

Leave a QR code is supposed to lead them to the ad block introductory video that promises a “3 month trial period” for the ad block (and with full features).

Of course, be sure to follow the comments section for people’s reactions!

Time to Print Those Never Gonna Give You Up QR Codes!

Before you get started, be sure you have your eyes on the goal.

It’s all about having a good time. And the best pranks will be enjoyed by both you and your target.

The previous 7 ideas should be a starting point. They’re a glimpse into the different ways you can have fun with the Never Gonna Give You Up QR code.

For now, you’ll need a place to create those QR codes. You need to create them for different platforms and sizes, depending on your plans.

For that, be sure to check out our free QR code generator. Make any code you want, on a budget, and for a multitude of printing layouts!