Coke adds GPS/Cell Phone to cans
Digital caffeine may still be a little ways off,
but the promotion / marketing folks at Coca Cola have added a cell phone and GPS to cans.
from here
looks like geeks may have a new techno-beverage of choice
but the promotion / marketing folks at Coca Cola have added a cell phone and GPS to cans.
Quote:
May 12
Pop-Top: Coke Can Goes GPS
Talk about your "can do" spirit. The sky's the limit for Coca-Cola this summer.
As part of the soft drink firm's Unexpected Summer ad campaign, specially designed Coke cans feature a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite transponder and cell phone.
Winners who find one of these cans press a button to activate it, volunteer to participate and then have the grand prize delivered to them wherever they are.
Coca-Cola's combination soda/cell phone/GPS transponder._(Click to Enlarge)
The high-tech cans feature specially designed graphics and a recessed panel with buttons that, when pressed, activate the GPS technology and cellular phone. The inside of each winning can is configured with a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card that enables the can to serve as a cell phone that works in conjunction with the GPS transponder.
Between May 17th and July 12th, more than 100 GPS cans of Coca-Cola will be available across the U.S. in specially marked 12, 18, 20, or 24-packs of Coca-Cola (classic, caffeine free Coke, cherry Coke and Vanilla Coke).
A winning U.S. Coke connoisseur could snag an all-new 2005 Chevy Equinox, home entertainment system, cash, or any number of additional grand prizes.
"It's a consumer promotion for the 21st century," explains Coca-Cola.
May 12
Pop-Top: Coke Can Goes GPS
Talk about your "can do" spirit. The sky's the limit for Coca-Cola this summer.
As part of the soft drink firm's Unexpected Summer ad campaign, specially designed Coke cans feature a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite transponder and cell phone.
Winners who find one of these cans press a button to activate it, volunteer to participate and then have the grand prize delivered to them wherever they are.
Coca-Cola's combination soda/cell phone/GPS transponder._(Click to Enlarge)
The high-tech cans feature specially designed graphics and a recessed panel with buttons that, when pressed, activate the GPS technology and cellular phone. The inside of each winning can is configured with a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card that enables the can to serve as a cell phone that works in conjunction with the GPS transponder.
Between May 17th and July 12th, more than 100 GPS cans of Coca-Cola will be available across the U.S. in specially marked 12, 18, 20, or 24-packs of Coca-Cola (classic, caffeine free Coke, cherry Coke and Vanilla Coke).
A winning U.S. Coke connoisseur could snag an all-new 2005 Chevy Equinox, home entertainment system, cash, or any number of additional grand prizes.
"It's a consumer promotion for the 21st century," explains Coca-Cola.
from here
looks like geeks may have a new techno-beverage of choice
Comments
I am a Coke fan.
I wouldn't mind a new Chevy Equinox.
It is neat, but Coca-Cola does not need to know where I live.
Originally posted by Ebby
I wonder how much $$$ the information they collect in this campaign can be sold for?
It is neat, but Coca-Cola does not need to know where I live.
information such as where their product is?
I just stopped myself from posting a lengthy rant about privacy (or lack thereof) but people need to wise up. Once this information is collected by companies, it is out of your control. Do you really think they want this information to make a better soda?
Originally posted by Ebby
Yes. Down to the specific house it was consumed...
Right, but there's only 100 of these cans. Only the winners have GPS/cell phones. It might one day be cost-effective to put a cell phone on every can, but not quite yet.
Originally posted by Scott
If you get that can just leave it where you find it.
Exactly. And somebody else will claim the prize. For those complaining about privacy, read the article. The can with the cell phone and GPS will be the winning cans only. I would gladly trade some privacy (Coke knowing where I am) in exchange for a new car. That's perfectly normal for promotions. With the GPS/phone combo they just get your location more quickly, and can thus deliver your prize more quickly. Sounds very fair and standard to me.
Escher
Still, there are some questionable marketing practices out there. Just being cautious.
Originally posted by Ebby
I wonder how much $$$ the information they collect in this campaign can be sold for?
It is neat, but Coca-Cola does not need to know where I live.
REMOVE THAT TIN FOIL HAT AND STEP AWAY FROMTHE KEYBOARD!!!!
You had to give apple your address to claim iTunes on pepsi, you would have to give McDonalds your address if the gamepiece on your fries was the million dollar winner, They arent tracking you at all, ONLY THE WINNING CANS HAVE THIS GPS Cellphone thing, and the homeing beacon isnt even live till you press the button on the can and then and only then does the GPs link up.
they may sell the list of winners, but hay my name and yours are being bought and sold every day, at least this way we get something for it.
Just reach into the cooler and start squeezin'!
Picture the unfortunate dude with hookah and harem as the Prize chopper arrives overhead to spot his stash.
Originally posted by a_greer
they may sell the list of winners, but hay my name and yours are being bought and sold every day, at least this way we get something for it.
That is just it. I have worked hard to hide my identity and have been very successful at it. As a band once said in reference to data harvesting: "... beat them back with bullsh!t...". (OK, it is corny, I know, but they are not that far off. RFID "Smart Dust " is certainly small enough to be added to french fries. Cloning is a few years off though.
For now, I will keep the tin foil. It keeps my head warm at night and the mysterious lights on the outside of my window.
Originally posted by Ebby
Yes. Down to the specific house it was consumed. Cross reference the GPS coordinates with a map to find a address. With a address comes a Name, Phone Number, and other information. Believe it or not, it is not that hard to do. Especially if you have enough money to put cell phones in soda cans. Even if you don't win, this information is still collected.
I just stopped myself from posting a lengthy rant about privacy (or lack thereof) but people need to wise up. Once this information is collected by companies, it is out of your control. Do you really think they want this information to make a better soda?
You can not claim a prize unless you offer up your name, address, phone number, etc. If you don't want to collect on a prize, don't use the phone can.
Same goes for lottery.... if you find a winning ticket, send it my way.
Originally posted by a_greer
(turns on emp detector, runs for soda isal) well, I am gonna win me that chevy, yehaw
No emps are going to be coming from these cans, dude. I also don't think they'll be radiating at all, since the phone is off until you turn it on.
Originally posted by Ebby
That is just it. I have worked hard to hide my identity and have been very successful at it. As a band once said in reference to data harvesting: "... beat them back with bullsh!t...". (OK, it is corny, I know, but they are not that far off. RFID "Smart Dust " is certainly small enough to be added to french fries. . . .
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Oooh. RFID. I work in the RFID industry, and know quite a bit about it. One of the most interesting things about RFID is that there is actually no encryption whatsoever between the tag and the reader, and while it is an engineering challenge, it's certainly possible to build a device that can read tags from passerbys only to mimic them later.
Identity theft. And credit card fraud in many cases.
So far, there is only one of these devices in existence. At least, only one that I know about, and I keep good track of these things, since I'm the fucker who invented it.
I'm all about the privacy thing, too, but some of you are being a *little* ultra-paranoid. It's a gimmick. IF you happened to find the winning can, you'd have to divulge a little information about yourself -- and probably agree to be in their publications -- to win A FRIEKIN' CAR! That payoff's not good enough for you?
I'm guessing the GPS is mostly used as more of an identifier than anything else. IF someone happened to figure out a way to hack a phone to mimmick the phone in the can, then they can verify the can's authenticity by reading the signature off the GPS unit. Or something like that.