• by Chuck Martin , October 9, 2018

The Malibu and Kahlua brands are creating a technology hub to showcase their innovations in augmented reality, NFC (near-field communication) and connected packaging technologies.

The “Living Lab Technology Hub” will be located at the brands’ global headquarters in Stockholm and is being created in conjunction with SharpEnd, the brands’ technology innovation agency.

“Primarily, it's a space and a process to develop products, services and marketing solutions for our own brands,” Cameron Worth, founder of SharpEnd, told the AI & IoT Daily. “It also serves as a space to actually demonstrate and frame the innovation process and thinking behind these solutions.”

Technologies to be demonstrated at the lab include AR at point of sale, beacon technology to drive footfall, responsive signage systems, smart packaging and voice-enabled apps.

“The purpose of not only talking about what we do, but rather showcasing it, is an important part of the Living Lab process,” said Johan Radojewski, global brand director at The Absolut Company.  “Our belief is that brands need to incorporate a lot more trial and error into their ways of working, so that we don’t just base decisions on theories but actual learnings. Being able to demonstrate these prototypes to the wider team, to the press and to our consumers, via real live demos, is a vital part of our learning process and our continued focus on utilizing cutting-edge technology in ways that deliver real consumer value.”