The Future of Bottle Design

1. UNLIMITED SHAPES WITH ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

MY VISION OF THE FUTURE:

I bought myself an expensive bottle of wine today. As I saw it in the wine shop, I knew it has to be a great wine. I am not a wine expert, but the shape of the bottle told me that the producers are proud of it. I have never seen this kind of bottle shape. I even did not know that it would be able to manufacture it. Its curved lines that are entwined with itself look very elegant. They shall emphasise the taste of the wine, the description tells. After internet research I found out, the bottle was produced by additive manufacturing. Unbelievable that they 3D printed a glass bottle.

CURRENT STATE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

Additive manufacturing is the next big thing in modern days. Better known as “3D printing”, it is about components that are built in layers from formless substances. That happens on the basis of CAD data. Designers get a wide degree of freedom by additive manufacturing. And the high investments in developing the technology will lead to lower costs and more potential for new business models. In areas of research and development, you can use many materials for additive manufacturing nowadays. Plastics, metals, ceramics, concrete and even glass.

SOCIO-TECHNICAL FORESIGHT:

As you can 3D print glass, it can be a definitely progressive technology to design luxurious products that stand out from the masses. In 2018, it is still state of science and technology to produce glass products by additive manufacturing. But the speed of development will rapidly lead to affordable solutions of striking glass bottle shapes.

2. MONOLITHIC DESIGN WITH BLOW FILL SEALED BOTTLES

MY VISION OF THE FUTURE:

I have seen this kind of bottle some time ago. More and more soft drink bottles are designed this way. A plastic bottle made of only one part. You can pull off the cap only once and cannot close it anymore. Just like cans or pouches with drinking straws. I do not mind, because I will drink the orangeade at once. I am glad that the drink was that cheap. Usually you pay much more for your drinks. However, this soft drink really surprises me. The bottle is made of plastic, although it looks like glass. Never had an amazing looking beverage for such a low price. Current state of science and technology: A container that is formed, filled and sealed in a continuous process is called “blow fill sealed”. Usually this process takes place in a sterile enclosed area. The products manufactured are sterile pharmaceutical liquid dosage forms. But sterile dosage forms are expensive and would not be pro table for soft drinks. If the production area is not sterile enclosed, you can produce pro table plastic containers. The company “Twist and Drink” from Austria produces soft drinks in blow ll sealed plastic bottles since 1973. A PET bottle that looks like glass can be produced today, too. As reference, we can take the French SEAB bottle produced by Sidel. The production complexity of blow fill sealed products will go down tremendously by innovations like the “LiquiForm” technology. It means that bottle forming and filling is combined in one step. Reduced complexity leads to reduced prices.

SOCIO-TECHNICAL FORESIGHT:

We can reach a new level of cheap beverages with luxurious appearance soon. This is the result of smart production technology combined with the glass look of PET bottles from modern blow moulding machines.

3. ERGONOMIC PACKAGES WITHOUT SHRINK FILM

MY VISION OF THE FUTURE:

Finally I found it. Bottles, that hold together in a package that is comfortable to carry. The bottles have no visible material that show how they hold together. Just like magic, you remove one bottle from the other ones and the other ones still stick together. The ergonomic carrier handle that can be made longer also impresses me. Now I have a package with shoulder strap. This ergonomy has been a long-time wish of mine. Earlier handles always cut in my hand when I carried those long distances. I am delighted about this innovation and walk happily home with my new bottle package.

Current state of science and technology: You can find bundled bottles in every beverage market. It is usually the same principle, called shrink wrapping. A group of PET bottles are wrapped in plastic lm that holds them strongly together by shrinking. After that, a handle is applied to the bundle. It is a very cheap and pro table way to produce bundles, but there are also disadvantages. The handles often go off when you want to lift up the package. If it does not go off, it cuts the hand all the way home. There are helpful products like the “SchleppR” shoulder strap to carry bottle packages more comfortable. You can buy them in online shops. It is a good solution, because the beverage industry has not yet been able to develop a satisfying solution. There are approaches like the “LitePac” from Krones, that makes a bundle of PET bottles out of strapping bands. Alternatively, bottle packages that hold together by using dots of adhesives called “Nature Multi pack”, developed by NMP Systems. These solutions are innovative, but rarely seen in the beverage markets.

SOCIO-TECHNICAL FORESIGHT:

When the Nature Multipack is sufficiently developed and optimized, it offers the potential to become a leading solution for bottle packages. Or beverage companies develop similar solutions, that let the bottles hold together. Until that day, we have to wait and get our hands cut by handles.

4. THE GAMIFICATION OF BEVERAGES 

MY VISION OF THE FUTURE:

A novelty is drawing my attention. A beverage, stylish and futuristic in appearance, is coming with a game. I just heard of this new thing from a colleague. You can download the game app for free. You create a character that gains expert points by buying more of the drinks. I am buying three bottles and download the game when I come home. Then I open a bottle and scan the code in the cap. It is a QR Code that can be simply scanned with a smartphone. As soon as I have scanned the code, my game character receives 10 experience points. I like that and scan the other two QR Codes. After 30 experience points my character reaches level 2 and I am motivated to buy more bottles. Seems like the principle works.

CURRENT STATE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

In modern times, it is state of the art to add a QR Code to a product. The possibilities of these codes are endless. You can forward the consumer to a website, let him watch a video or, in our case, add experience points to his game character. The principle of gamification is taken from video games and applied to non-game contexts. Starbucks used gamification tactics in 2010 with a platform called “My Reward”. The customers had to register on the platform and could upgrade levels by buying Starbucks coffee to get discounts. The gamification principle works so well because receiving bonus points stimulates the brain’s “reward centre”. This is the successful psychology of marketing.

SOCIO-TECHNICAL FORESIGHT:

The principle of gamification, just like the tactic Starbucks started with My Reward, can be used on every other beverage. With modern mobile technologies it is even simpler, because people are online all the time and can directly access the games.

6. CONNECTED SERVICES FOR A CONSTANT STOCK

MY VISION OF THE FUTURE:

I have a shopping list app on my smartphone. Just like my wife, and our lists are synchronized. A great tool. A few weeks ago, I had to con rm new functions, because the app is passing personal information to a third party. First I was sceptical, but now I am glad about the software update. Every beverage I add on the shopping list I find in small shops nearby now. My shopping list data is sent to beverage distributors, who supply beverage markets and shops. They know which products the customers need and deliver them where the customer goes shopping normally. I always find my favourite craft beer in the shop nearby and my favourite soft drink is never sold out. 

CURRENT STATE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

The internet of things is a buzzword we hear very often. The same applies to the internet of services. Several services are connected with each other and they are able to communicate by using common protocols. In the beverage sector it can be an enrichment for distributors and consumers as well. More and more people use shopping list apps like “Bring!” and “Grocery Pal”, which are downloadable for free. In the beginning you could only add products to the shopping lists. Then the developers added more functions to the apps, like announcing consumers about attractive offers from super markets. For that, the software has to communicate with distributors about temporary offers.

SOCIO-TECHNICAL FORESIGHT:

The technology is already available. The services only have to develop a common strategy. A strategy that has only winners. The distributors sell their products at the right place, the shops have a constant stock and the consumers and their products nearby.

7. DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY USED ON BOTTLES

MY VISION OF THE FUTURE:

One other thing that struck me, when I go past the drink shelves, is a juice bottle with a video on the label. Not only a static picture, but an animated lm, that starts when I push the play button on the screen. The video is showing a tutorial on how to mix a great cocktail with this juice. It makes me curious, but after 10 seconds the video fades to black. I have to buy the drink to watch the whole video. So I place the juice bottle in my shopping basket.

CURRENT STATE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

The internet of things is a buzzword we hear very often. The same applies to the internet of services. Several services are connected with each other and they are able to communicate by using common protocols. In the beverage sector it can be an enrichment for distributors and consumers as well. More and more people use shopping list apps like “Bring!” and “Grocery Pal”, which are downloadable for free. In the beginning you could only add products to the shopping lists. Then the developers added more functions to the apps, like announcing consumers about attractive offers from super markets. For that, the software has to communicate with distributors about temporary offers.

CURRENT STATE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

Foil displays already exist, for example made of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED). There are smartphones that use OLED technology, and they are already affordable. The storage device for videos on foil displays can be very small. It can be a zinc polymer battery that is printed on the label.

SOCIO-TECHNICAL FORESIGHT:

Nowadays, people watch videos on smartphones many times a day. Tutorials, funny videos, music videos and so on. It works to show interesting content, which only a chosen circle of people is able to watch. It makes the customers feel important. As soon as foil displays will be affordable enough for beverages, this vision will come true.

8. CONSUMER INPUT FOR OPTIMIZED DRINKS

MY VISION OF THE FUTURE:

After I have paid for the lemonade with my smartphone at the cash register, I receive a message. It comes from the company that produces the lemonade. They write me, that I will get a free bottle when I send feedback for 10 of their products. I drive home and try the lemonade. They have changed the taste. It tastes sweeter now. I do not like the new taste. I like it sourer. I type it into the feedback form and send it. It seems like I am not the only one with this opinion. One week later, I get a notification from the company that they modi ed the taste again. I buy another bottle of the lemonade and try it. I am amazed that the drink tastes less sweet now.

CURRENT STATE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

Smartphones have become essential all-rounders. That is why people always carry them in their pockets. Smartphones receive information and send information. This can be an advantage for beverage companies, if they use the right strategy. In many applications you have the possibility to give feedback. The companies are very thankful when users give feedback, because this can make the product better. The problem is, the users have to take time to complete the feedback forms. And they get initially nothing in return for providing feedback. It is very important for companies to give something in return. The second change that must occur, is the payment method. When beverage companies want to know who has bought their product, the information has to be linked with the buyer’s identity. To send a message to him, the buyer has to pay with Near Field Communication (NFC) on the smartphone. And in the end he has to allow receiving messages from other companies.

SOCIO-TECHNICAL FORESIGHT:

Consumer input is hard to get in our world filled with informations from everywhere. As we see, many changes have to occur to optimize drinks through consumer input. Nevertheless, this way leads to best-selling drinks. In different countries, different seasons and different age groups.

9. INDIVIDUAL DECORATION BY DIGITAL PRINTING

MY VISION OF THE FUTURE:

A friend of mine recently told me about a beverage market where you can design the print of your bottle. He said that the bottles are not labelled, but direct printed. I want to see this and walk to the beverage market. Indeed, there is a new machine putting out drinks of a well- known beverage brand. The touch screen shows me the options to design my printed bottle. I can choose the colour and shape of the ornament printed on the bottle. I can type in my name on the bottle, too. That is exciting; I buy one bottle for my wife and one for me.

CURRENT STATE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

There was always the trend to have a “no label look” on bottles. It should look like the graphic was printed direct on the bottle. Nowadays, the technology of direct printing on bottles is already developed. Companies like Krones, KHS and Till have developed machines that can print graphics on bottles by digital printing. The advantage of direct printing is to leave out the label. But in this early stage of the development it is still more expensive to print directly on to the bottle. Nevertheless, it has the potential for new business models in the age of digitalization. Consumers can design their graphics now. Krones demonstrated that principle 2017 on the drinktec fair.

SOCIO-TECHNICAL FORESIGHT:

Direct printing will become more affordable in the future. The possibility to print your own graphic on a bottle can be an impulse for customers to spend more money for a personal design. Digital technologies will mean big changes.

CONCLUSION:

The result of our design foresight consists of multiple design innovations triggered by new technologies. Generative manufactured bottles, monolithic designs bundled in ergonomic packages and equipped with gaming elements. Bottles with animated labels that glow and can be designed by the consumers. It will not take long time until this vision becomes reality. We live in a fast-moving multimedia world that is constantly changing. A few years ago, we saw future visions in science action movies. Now it has become a part of our everyday life. We will be astonished about the future of bottle design.