Californian wine brand Böen, in partnership with internet of things agency SharpEnd, is launching the world’s largest global consumer deployment of Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology to date.
In an industry first, over 1 million connected bottles will be released.
By tapping the bottles with their smartphones (no apps required), consumers will have an opportunity to see the vineyards where the wines are made, learn more about the winemaking process, and offer suggestions on food pairings.
This new technology, developed by technological visionaries SharpEnd and Guala Closures, gives consumers instant access to information about the wine they are purchasing simply by tapping the bottle’s cap with their smartphone. This is thanks to e-WAK®, Guala Closures’ award-winning, first NFC-integrated aluminium closure for wine.
By inviting users to ‘tap our cap’, consumers will have instant access to unparalleled information about the wine they are purchasing simply by tapping the bottle’s cap with their smartphone and taking them to the vineyards where the wines are made. Without ever downloading an app, a portal is opened that takes you to Böen’s farmhouse where consumers can be educated about where and how their wine was made, offering food pairings, and a central place for fans to share their own experiences with Böen within the platform and via social media.
Joseph Wagner, Founder of Copper Cane Wines & Provisions, says: “At Copper Cane, not only are we innovating with how we grow grapes and make our wines, but also through how we connect with our consumers. By ‘Tapping our Cap’ using the NFC technology created by Guala Closures and implemented by SharpEnd, Böen drinkers will be transported to the very vineyards where our grapes our grown and where the California sunshine and long growing season bring forth the robust and bold flavors we are known for.”
Cameron Worth, CEO and founder at SharpEnd, adds: “There is increasing consumer demand for connected packaging across a range of technologies. We know from experience that brands who leverage connected packaging to drive engagement can learn more about what their consumers want and keep up with emerging trends. A rollout of this scale has been a long time coming, and SharpEnd is very proud to support this trailblazing commitment from Böen.”
Simon Yudelevitch, General Manager Guala Closures North America, adds: “We are pleased and proud to announce this partnership with Copper Cane Wines & Provisions. Our efforts in developing innovations are paying off and we are particularly happy to achieve this with Böen. It’s been exciting working with Joseph Wagner to bring e-WAK®, Guala Closures’ NFC connected closure to Böen wines and we are excited to be a part of this momentous technological moment for the wine industry. Award winning e-WAK will have the opportunity to demonstrate the enormous potential represented by connected closures.”
Böen is a creation of fifth generation winemaker Joseph Wagner, who has put innovation at the heart of the winemaking process. Böen currently has five wines available: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay made from a blend of grapes from Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara counties (SRP: $24.99 each), as well as appellation-specific editions of Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley, and Russian River Valley (SRP: $34.99 each).
