How Jones Soda's New Augmented Reality Labels Work

Whether it's NFT ad campaigns, offering customers cryptocurrency rewards at the register, or incorporating artificial intelligence in nutrition apps, the food industry is rapidly evolving to leave room for all sorts of innovative technology. In recent times, large food corporations have realized the valuable impact new mediums can have in attracting different audiences. However, this doesn't mean the nostalgia of the past has to be left behind. Jones Soda is known for featuring black-and-white photos submitted by its customers on its bottle labels, according to a press release from the company. Last year, it started to experiment with its classic interactive packaging with the release of multiple limited runs of Augmented Reality (AR) labels. The labels enabled people to activate their soda bottles into short videos in the brand's app.

"Our labels have always been a vital part of the brand, so we're continually looking for new ways to use them as a canvas to engage and expand our fan base," the Chief Marketing Officer of the company said. This is the perfect way to advance the mission of the craft soda company which is to, "craft innovative products to create an emotional connection that celebrates [Jones Soda's] consumers through their lens of the world" (via Jones Soda). By using a multimedia element, Jones Soda is allowing its customers to show off their adventures with the company's beverages. A new release of AR labels is coming to shelves soon.

So what's exactly new in this third release? While the first collection featured action sports stars and the second release told customers' fortunes, the third edition will use 15 fan-favorite influencers to empower consumers to showcase what makes them happy. The influencers span a wide variety of interests: They will be doing everything from shooting movies to golfing in the AR clips (via PR Newswire). To view the videos, all a person needs to do is to use the Jones Soda app and hover the camera above the label. This will unlock the multimedia setting, causing the people on the label to animate before the viewer's eyes on the screen.

Jones Soda's Chief Marketing Officer said in the press release, "Adding AR video is the right step at a time when people spend hours with creators on platforms like TikTok. It's fun, it shows more of our consumers' passions, and by partnering with these incredible individuals we get to bring the Jones experience to their communities..." The new technological upgrade has definitely piqued customer interest, as seen from a video tutorial on the brand's Instagram account that had comments like, "This is so dope."

The AR labels can be found in stores across the U.S. and Canada starting in late March for all fans of the popular craft soda.