Food packaging company Huhtamaki has come up with a single-use paper cup equipped with a hidden QR code that helps brands with their promotions.
The cup becomes a smart device centered around promotional campaigns, with a QR code hidden under heat-sensitive printing and controlled with special digital data and content management software.
The Monaco Cup has been created to use the technology and is now for sale at selected Shell service stations, restaurants and cafes in Finland as a single-use coffee cup.
The use of heat-sensitive printing provides a secure and eye-catching communication tool.
Thermo-sensitive printing keeps the code invisible until usage, safeguarding the promotional content for customers until purchase.
When a hot drink is poured into the cup, the heat activates the thermochromic printing on the label, revealing the unique code.
By scanning the code with a mobile device, customers are eligible to win a range of prizes, ranging from a free coffee through to a trip for four to Monte Carlo.
The smart code management software makes sure that each code can only be used once and dynamically changes the digital content after usage.
Finnish creative agency Mediakolmio developed the Monaco Cup advertising campaign and design, and the cups will be in Shell stores for a total of three months.
This story was sourced from the Active & Intelligent Packaging Association. To learn more visit www.aipia.info
