How drunk are you? Check your Alcohoot app

Introducing: Alcohoot, a startup that thinks consumers will shell out $99 dollars to know exactly how wasted they are. Alcohoot is comprised of a device that converts a smartphone into a personal breathalyser. While similar products are on the market, Alcohoot is hoping to generate some buzz through a new partnership with liquor giant Pernod Ricard USA, whose brands include Absolut, Jameson and Malibu.

Adweek have revealed that the deal includes co-promotional and sales activities. For instance, Pernod’s “Wise Drinking” smartphone app, which is designed to promote responsible consumption with features like a drink counter, has added a link to Alcohoot’s app. The app works in conjunction with the plug-in device to provide a measurement of a person’s blood-alcohol content, as well as other analytics. Pernod will also distribute Alcohoot devices to its employees in the U.S., Brazil, Canada and Mexico. In another deal, Heineken USA distributed the devices to its employees, who have promoted them to beer distributors.

The deals are meant to position New York City-based Alcohoot as a lifestyle brand, said Ben Biron, the company’s co-founder and chief marketing officer. Breathalyzers are often identified in a negative way, associated with police and authority, he said. While Alcohoot’s mission is to reduce drunk-driving accidents, the brand also wants to make itself “part of the fun of the night,” he added. “We thought the perfect partners for that would be alcohol brands.”

Bryan Fry, president-CEO of Pernod Ricard USA said in a statement:

“Alcohoot engages people and has the potential to change behaviour and is totally in line with Pernod Ricard’s strong sense of ethics and our overall commitment to fight against irresponsible consumption of our products.”

The $99 device, which plugs into a phone’s headphone jack, is available for sale on the company’s web site and on Amazon.com. The company is in negotiations for distribution at national retail accounts, including drug stores and electronics stores, Mr. Biron said. Marketing has included Facebook ads.

The app, which is free, includes a feature called “Smartline” that allows users to set their desired blood alcohol content level, or BAC, before a night out. Then, the morning after a night out, users can take a “Morning Quiz” to describe how they feel. If a person feels lousy, the app might suggest next time setting a lower BAC target.

Happy hangover.