UK: Pernod Ricard to release Malibu “connected bottles”

Malibu, the rum brand owned by wine and spirits firm Pernod Ricard, is to be part of a campaign which turns 40,000 bottles into a digital platform by using the same technology as in contactless payments.

The initiative, which will start at the beginning of September, allows the user to access exclusive content via their mobile by simply tapping the “sunset” logo on the bottle, without downloading any application.

Jo Alexander, Malibu marketing manager at Pernod Ricard UK recently commented “We have identified an opportunity to use our bottles as media platforms, we are trying to find ways to connect with consumers more intimately. By turning bottles into vehicles that directly connect to consumers’ phones, we are providing added value”.

The move recalls the "smart bottle" prototype for Johnnie Walker Blue Label Whiskey, unveiled by Pernod Ricard's major rival Diageo in 2015, that was designed to enhance the consumer experience by allowing the firm to send targeted messages including  offers, recipes and exclusive content to consumers who read printed sensor tags with their smartphones.

According to the source, Pernod Ricard will closely monitor the results of the initiative to explore the potential use on other alcoholic brands.

Source: Marketing Week