Mega-brewer MillerCoors is preparing to launch their latest and greatest packaging innovation, the Miller Lite Vortex Bottle, in the hopes of boosting its sales which have slumped recently. The newly developed bottle design has specially designed grooves in the neck to “help create a vortex as you’re pouring beer”.
The thought is that the Vortex bottle neck will create an influx of oxygen and create a fresher, better tasting beer. Now I’ve had a beer or two in my day, but I’m not sure how realistic that will be. My belief though is that the new vortex design will allow consumers to pour (or chug) beer faster – although the new design is not marketed in this way.
Some are calling it another gimmick, similar to the Coors Lite cold activated bottle labels that are printed with a thermochromatic ink which allows the mountains to turn blue in color when the package is cold enough to drink.
Whether you call the new Miller Lite Vortex bottle a gimmick or packaging innovation, it’s bound to cause a stir in consumers….and beer!
I’m sure the packaging geek in me will be curious to see this new technology and I’ll have to try one….or two!
Gimmick! I sure hope Miller doesn't do this patty cake technology on my SouthPaw Light.
ReplyDeleteLike all packaging in most cases it visually stimulates the product not always improves it.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a great idea and a definite innovation for glass bottles.
Have you ever tried to run a filler at 1400 bottles a minute with any kind of obstruction in the neck.... its some serious engineering just to make that bottle run i bet.
Good point! I didn't even think of it from a packaging machinery/ filling standpoint. I wonder if they had to slow the lines at all for this special bottle design?? I'm sure any slowing at all would really hurt their bottom line efficiencies.
ReplyDeleteI finally started seeing commercials for the Vortex bottle on TV - now I just need to find some samples!