Vending machine rewards mental agility

Hard on the heels of our story about the world’s first smile-activated vending machine comes word of a similarly paradigm-busting innovation: a machine that dispenses free spring water drinks to those who can prove their mental prowess. No mere smile earns a reward from the Smart Vending Machine, which was launched recently by British Britvic’s Juicy Drench drink brand. Rather, consumers must play a series of games designed to test their mental agility. Featuring an interactive touch screen, the device is programmed with 40 different games, ranging from clever mathematical tasks to visual “spot the difference” challenges. Each of the games is designed to test alertness, underscoring the Juicy Drench brand’s message that “brains perform best when they’re hydrated.” The Smart Vending Machine was installed in London last week at the Westfield shopping centre and Covent Garden Train Station. In September, it’s slated to pop up in Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol. It’s hard to imagine a better way to engage consumers, encourage trial and underscore a brand’s message while also dispensing some always-popular free love. Time to put on your own thinking cap and brainstorm some like-minded ideas! (Related: Vending machine dispenses free samples — Touch-screen machine for interactive vending — Retail chain for brain games targets aging population.)