Scotch whisky maker Johnnie Walker has developed a connected smart bottle capable of delivering personalized messages like promotional offers and cocktail recipes to consumers with the use of printed sensor tags and NFC technology.
Set to debut at Mobile World Congress next month in Barcelona, the Johnnie Walker Blue Label ‘Smart Bottle’ taps into Near Field Communication-enabled smartphones to bring an additional layer of security to products.
The technology will also be used as an additional marketing strategy.
Consumers who read the printed sensor tags that come affixed to the bottles with their smartphones will receive targeted messages that could include exclusive offers, cocktail recipes and added content.
“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,” stated Helen Michels, Global Innovation Director, Futures Team at Diageo.
Developed by Thin Film Electronics in Norway, OpenSense sensor tags can also detect if a bottle is sealed or has been tampered with by the tap of their smartphone.
Thin Film Electronics claims that unlike static QR codes that are easy to copy and often difficult to read, OpenSense tags are permanently encoded at the point of manufacture and cannot be copied or electronically modified.
It’s the latest application of NFC technology aimed at enhancing security and fighting fraud in the alcohol industry.
Last year, Inside Secure and Selinko debuted an embedded chip called CapSeal that can be fitted to corks or screw caps.
After users scan the chip with their NFC-enabled smartphones, an accompanying app informs them if the bottle has been opened and the seal breached.
The Johnnie Walker prototype bottle will be on display at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, which takes place March 2-5.
