Thin Film Electronics ASA (Thinfilm) announced Arcus ASA, Norway’s largest wholesaler of wine and liquor, as a new customer. Preparations are underway for an initial field trial, which is expected to begin in the second quarter.
 
For the trial, Thinfilm’s smartphone-readable SpeedTap tags will be applied to bottles of Arcus’ legendary LINIE Aquavit brand to enable a direct connection with consumers. Thinfilm will also present the LINIE Aquavit connected bottle at Mobile World Congress 2017, Feb. 27-March 2, in Barcelona, Spain.
 
To accelerate innovation within its spirits category, Arcus will leverage Thinfilm’s end-to-end NFC solutions offering to improve its ability to engage with consumers. SpeedTap tags integrate with the Thinfilm CNECT software portal, a cloud-based platform that enables remote Tag management, custom content delivery and brand analytics and reporting.
 
Each SpeedTap tag is uniquely identifiable and virtually impossible to clone, and can be read with the simple tap of an NFC-enabled smartphone or device. Once tapped, the tags allow smart devices to wirelessly communicate with the CNECT software portal. This combination creates a compelling one-to-one mobile marketing platform from which Arcus can connect directly with its consumers.
 
“LINIE aquavit is the world’s oldest aquavit brand, created in 1821. We have a strong focus on innovation in order to keep the brand contemporary and build awareness around the aquavit category,” said Romain Jourdan, category manager for Norwegian Aquavit, at Arcus. “We are excited to partner with a fellow Norwegian firm and look forward to working closely with Thinfilm on this innovative initiative.”