Diageo debuts 'smart' Johnnie Walker bottle in Thailand

Drinks manufacturer Diageo started test marketing its smart label-equipped Johnnie Walker Blue Label bottles in Thailand at the end of last year.

The labels for the bottles incorporate a printed near-field communication (NFC) tag which allow purchasers to gain access to exclusive features via their smartphone.

The limited edition run of 500 bottles will provide the owners with "personalised VIP invitations, the possibility to send personalized digital post cards, luxury lifestyle content, recipes and much more," according to Selinko, which helped Diageo develop the product.

"We are not dealing here with a prototype as unveiled last March in the press but a limited edition intended for the Thai market," said a spokesperson for Selinko.

The pilot launch will allow Diageo to gauge how consumers respond to the interactive labels, which can also incorporate security features such as opening detection and can also be used to track bottles through the supply chain.

These security features can be used to prevent consumers being exposed to counterfeit bottles of the premium spirit, says Diageo.

The bottles destined for the Thai market feature Inside Secure's Vault IC 154 NFC Chip and patent pending CapSeal opening detection technology.