Dubbed as a ‘message on a bottle,’ consumers can use wireless devices to send pieces of text to the bottle, where it is presented with an LED display.
Brandon Laidlaw, founder and CEO of Medea Vodka, told BeverageDaily.com drinkers are hungry for personalization and new experiences.
‘Will you marry me?’
Medea’s existing LED bottle can already display scrolling messages across the front of the bottle. It is pre-programmed with six common phrases such as ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘Congratulations.’
Medea says its new Bluetooth technology – set to be included on all bottles in June - will let consumers use wireless devices to program the bottle with anything they want, suggesting ‘I love you’ or even ‘Will you marry me?’
The bottle uses Apple iBeacon Bluetooth technology, with a Medea App detecting what bottles are in the vicinity.
Once a user connects to a specific bottle, the packaging is locked and cannot be accessed by others.
Laidlaw told BeverageDaily.com drinkers want to have fun with friends and are hungry for personalization and new ideas.
“In today’s world, consumers have an insatiable appetite for new experiences,” he said.
“Our customers are thrilled the bottle can be personalized. People are eager to share the uniqueness of the bottle with friends and family.
“Medea’s patented LED technology provides the consumer with a social interaction, which is new and fun! We believe the future will see businesses, large and small, from nightclubs to corporations, using Medea’s technology to communicate with their customers.”
On the shelves this year
Laidlaw says the technology remains competitive with other ultra-premium spirits, and believes consumers are willing to pay for added value.
“The consumer who seeks the newest creative gift is willing to consider paying for quality and the unique experience that our bottle provides,” he said.
Medea’s LED bottles are available in the US, and the second generation of programmable bottles will hit stores in June this year. The Bluetooth technology is being showcased at the Nightclub & Bar Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas this week (March 31 – April 1).
But aren’t consumers ultimately more interested in the product than the packaging?
“If that were the case, we would simply ask them to try our vodka,” responded Laidlaw.