Could Liquor Bottles Be the Next Big Thing in Advertising?

U.K.-based alcoholic beverage company Diageo and Thin Film Electronics, a Norwegian firm specializing in printed electronics, have unveiled the world’s first smart bottle that is able to deliver personalized ads to anyone with a mobile device. The invention was revealed at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona yesterday.

The Johnnie Walker Blue Label bottle uses printed sensor tags with near-field communication (NFC), which gives every bottle the capability to hold digital information and be tracked for inventory purposes, as well as the prevention of counterfeiting.

When consumers tap the bottle with their smartphones, Diageo can send offers, promos, and cocktail recipes through sensors on the products. The company’s app would also allow consumers to learn about the bottle – like, say, whether it’s ever been opened – and communicate directly with the brand.

Michael Cooney, founder of Web traffic tracking company WhatConverts, thinks smart bottles are interesting, but ultimately a bit much. He says that when users visit websites, they tend to be blissfully unaware that their every move is being watched.

“With this, you know you’re going to be tracked because you synced your phone,” Cooney says. “In inbound marketing, you definitely want to avoid the creepy factor.”

“I don’t know if there’s a privacy angle in there,” he adds. “Do you want [marketers] to know what you drink and how much you drink? I don’t know if that makes me comfortable. I don’t need my phone connected with my drinking habits.”

Like wine, whiskey has its connoisseurs. But given the significantly higher alcohol content, those connoisseurs don’t typically drink it in the same quantity, leading Cooney to wonder how many people would really take advantage of a Johnnie Walker promotion.

Thin Film developed the technology late last year. Diageo is the first company to test it out on a prototype, though there are no plans to roll it out for any of its brands, which also include Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Bushmills, Baileys, and Guinness.