Diageo has launched a “smart bottle” for the iconic Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky, which lets the brand send targeted messages to customers who scan a tag on the bottle with their smartphone.
The ‘ThinFilm’ technology also recognizes when the bottle has been opened, allowing a personalized conversation to continue between the brand and the consumer.
The prototype Johnnie Walker Blue Label bottle uses extremely thin, electronic sensors which can tell if the bottle has been opened or not and where it is in the supply chain.
And these sensors also mean Diageo can send information to customers who scan the bottle with their smartphones – and change that information, thanks to the sensors being “always connected”.
For instance, Diageo could upload promotional offers while the bottle is in the shop but change that information to cocktail recipes when the sensors show the bottle has been opened at home. The “smart bottle” will be unveiled at Mobile World Congress, taking place March 2-5, 2015.
Helen Michels, Global Innovation Director, Futures Team at Diageo, said: “Mobile technology is changing the way we live, and as a consumer brands company we want to embrace its power to deliver amazing new consumer experiences in the future.
“We constantly experiment with the latest cutting edge technologies to enrich and enhance the experiences delivered by our iconic brands. Our collaboration with Thinfilm allows us to explore all the amazing new possibilities enabled by smart-bottles for consumers, retailers and our own business, and it sets the bar for technology innovation in the drinks industry.”
Davor Sutija, Thinfilm Chief Executive Officer, said: “As mobility becomes ubiquitous, consumers want and expect brands to follow suit and deliver custom mobile experiences. But today’s conventional NFC mobile marketing solutions are not technologically advanced enough to create immersive or customizable consumer experiences.
The prototype bottle will be on display at Thinfilm’s booth at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain throughout the four-day event.
