I spotted this article over at Mashable.com today and thought I’d share it. What a great example of how Coca-Cola can tap into crowdsourcing in real time to understand how fans and customers think drinks. And for customers who live in a larger town, there is a good chance they can take their ideas and quickly turn them around into a reality via a vending machine that dispenses their own unique concoction. I wonder how an application like this can help Facebook fans of other companies create their favorite restaurant meal, custom footwear or even the latest automobile design?
Coca-Cola on Wednesday rolled out a Facebook app that lets you mix your own Coke drink. The app is no online-only experiment, though: Real Coke vending machines that do the same thing are rolling out across the country.
The Coca-Cola Freestyle app, created by digital marketing agency 360i, lets you mix a drink using 125 Coke beverages, including Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta and Powerade. After choosing each, you hold down a “push” button to fill a cup of your choosing. When you fill your cup, you can name it. There’s also a game designed for the iPhone and Android formats.
The Facebook Page also directs you to Freestyle vending machines in your area and lets you ask for one in your town. There are now about 1,500 such machines in restaurants like Wendy’s, Burger King and Five Guys, but Coke plans to make more noise about Freestyle next year. The company is working with ad agency Ogilvy & Mather on a 2012 ad campaign for Freestyle, according to Advertising Age. Coke would like the apps to eventually generate a 2-D barcode, which could be scanned at one of the machines to create a blend, according to Ad Age.
Reality television has been around for awhile, but thanks to technology and a strategic partnership viewers will soon get to be a part of television history. The first interactive cartoon series is set to be launched in the U.S. in the next few months through production company RDF. RDF is the company behind shows like…
There was a time when many companies made their employees feel guilty and even afraid of losing their jobs if they took vacation time. Thankfully, most have come to realize that taking time off and recharging is critical to people giving their best on the job. Fast Company is featuring several tech companies who are…
One of my good friends Brian Fried, host of Got Invention Radio, invited me to come on his show for a four-part series, which aired late last week. You can listen online or download it here. Got Invention Radio is a wonderful show where inventors can call into the program and discuss their innovation ideas…
The , that is. Kroger just announced which puts it squarely in the competitive race with Amazon, Walmart, Target, and just about every other large US retailer. Its offering is necessary but seems a bit late and may not be enough. Their prices are relatively low and no membership is required. Delivery speed of two days is decent. But Kroger Ship is based on its own brand and non-perishables…
The oil spill disaster off the Gulf Coast is truly tragic. The numbers–from the billions of dollars in damage to the environmental toll–are barely fathomable to most of us. Here is a look at a chart that ties the disaster together with amazing clarity. Another site is hosting some incredible photographs of the disaster including…
“Crowdshake” is a new app that can create a network of earthquake-sensing smartphones, triggering warnings on nearby devices when tremors are detected by those nearer the epicenter. The technology is created by the Caltech Community Seismic Network and uses GPS to provide data about potential earthquakes. The app is only as good as those who…
