Happy St. Patrick's Day: Jameson Launches Connected Whiskey Bottles

In a recent holiday celebratory move, iconic Irish Whiskey brand Jameson Whiskey has announced an IoT implementation designed to celebrate and activate the launch of its new limited edition bottle range, which will incorporate Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. Created in partnership with Dublin based artist Steve McCarthy, the bottle’s added connectivity offers users the chance to experience the rich history of Jameson.

The IoT-enabled bottles, developed in partnership with SharpEnd and piloted exclusively for the Irish market, will mark the occasion of St. Patrick’s Day through a range of services and digital experiences. The company will change the content accessible through the NFC interactions over time, including delivering ‘always on’ content on the Jameson mobile site after the St. Patrick’s Day promotions have been delivered.

The NFC tag is behind the crest on the front label and is supported by an instructional neck hanger explaining why and how to engage. The neck hanger also carries a URL for iPhone users whose phones don’t read NFC tags. When an NFC-enabled smartphone comes into contact with the product, the tag launches a URL directly in the smartphone’s browser.

“Capitalizing on the development of the Internet of Things, Jameson is engaging with consumers in a new way, igniting a consumer-led desire for

experiences from brands and products,” said Taryn Casey, global head of digital, Irish distiller Pernod Ricard. “With this local targeting, Jameson can connect with its consumers in a meaningful way by tapping in to consumer behavior and trends and work towards the goal of celebrating St Patrick’s Day – the Jameson way.”

Engaging with the NFC enabled bottle will allow consumers to access a variety of ‘staying in’ or ‘going out’ experiences: Jameson history, St. Patrick’s Day experiences and recipes, an Instant win game, and the Ultimate Jameson Experience, which includes tickets to Bow Street Sessions on March 16th as well as overnight accommodation and transfers.

Until recently, NFC technology has been used predominantly as a method of making smartphone payments. Brands are now starting to understand the new opportunities for the technology and this Jameson pilot follows a similar trial by Malibu (also owned by Pernod Ricard) as part of its ‘Because Summer’ campaign last year.

“As the industry moves in this direction Jameson is capitalizing on the early adoption to drive user engagement and brand awareness in a personal and bespoke way,” said Dan Lundberg, Global Brand Director, Jameson. “In the future, we look forward to multi-market propositions that champion the capabilities of hyper-localized content. With increased support for NFC this will only improve its capabilities, allowing us to create even better experiences for consumers.”