Diageo to unveil Johnnie Walker Blue “smart bottle”

Diageo will unveil a “smart bottle” Johnnie Walker Blue Label prototype at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona March 2-5.

The innovation - created in collaboration with printed electronics and smart systems developer, Thin Film Electronics ASA and Diageo Technology Ventures – will allow Diageo to send personalised communications to customers who read the printed sensor tags via their smart phones.

The technology also enables Diageo to track bottle movements across the supply chain, in-store and to the point of consumption, with the tags remaining readable even when the factory seal has been broken.

Helen Michels, global innovation director, Futures Team at Diageo, said: “Mobile technology is changing the way we live, and as a consumer brands company we want to embrace its power to deliver amazing new consumer experiences in the future.

“We constantly experiment with the latest cutting edge technologies to enrich and enhance the experiences delivered by our iconic brands. Our collaboration with Thinfilm allows us to explore all the amazing new possibilities enabled by smart-bottles for consumers, retailers and our own business, and it sets the bar for technology innovation in the drinks industry.”