We live in a world of instant gratification and digital everything. From our iPhones, to our Fitbits, to our electronic bartenders, our world is increasingly powered by machines and (dun dun dunnn) the internet. With such growing presence in our life, some we love and some we just fall weak to, the idea, The Internet of Things, was born. The phrase, which took off in 2009 after the release of an article by Kevin Ashton, describes the network of physical objects embedded with software, sensors, and connectivity to enable objects to exchange data with manufacturers and other connected devices. So with potential to advance the technological future to even higher levels, it’s no wonder it didn’t take long for marketers of liquor and beer brands to see how this could strengthen their service.
Absolut Vodka, a brand of Pernod Ricard’s, just signed up with the London-based agency Sharp End. Known to specifically focus on the Internet of Things, the agency will work with Markus Wulff, the digital creative business developer at Absolut, to use the idea for service value, rather than for solely marketing purposes. The brand is working hard to create a useful and attractive service to consumers but also to eliminate the “static” piece of glass that holds the true product, the liquid goodness.
Not long ago, Heineken lit up– literally and figuratively, with the Internet of Things by focusing on the point of connectivity. The company revealed 20 innovative prototypes to display what they believe could be the future of the business. The campaign, appropriately named, “Ignite,” incorporates micro sensors and wireless networking to activate LED lights in the glass bottle to the light up with beat of nightclub music, to clanging of glasses in a “cheers,” and when the consumer takes a sip.
Just like these bigger brand names, Boston-based start up, Kuvée, is getting ready to bring these advancements to the market. The small but growing company not only has the masterful idea of bringing convenience in the pouring and preserving of wine in a bottle– one glass at a time so the rest doesn’t go bad– but will also offer a click-to-order right on the bottle itself.
Soon, the static pieces of glass or tin that hold our favorite beer, wine, and liquor today will be just “dead” artifacts of history. Kiss the old goodbye and say hello to the future.