Pepsi's new vending machines let you socialize, gift drinks

Taking the social networking experience to the next level, Pepsi has announced that it will be launching a full touch screen vending machines to allow consumers send messages, videos, and gift a friend a beverage drink.

“Our vision is to use innovative technology to empower consumers and create new ways for them to engage with our brands, their social networks and each other at the point of purchase," stated Mikel Durham, chief innovation officer at PepsiCo Foodservice.

To send the drink, the user will just have to enter the recipient's name, mobile phone number and a personal text or a video message into the vending machine.

“Social vending extends our consumers' social networks beyond the confines of their own devices and transforms a static, transaction-oriented experience into something fun and exciting they'll want to return to again and again,” he added.

Connecting with Pepsi drinkers
The remarkable feature about the yet-to-be released vending machine is that a person will be select a drink not only for one self but also a friend in another building or some other part of the world.

The only requirement is that the recipient should have the same vending machine at his end.

To send the drink, the user will just have to enter the recipient's name, mobile phone number and a personal text or a video message into the vending machine.

This will send the message with a system code to the sender, who can collect the gift from any near-by social vending machine.

Random Acts of Refreshment
Apart from this, one can also gift the Pepsi products to a stranger with PepsiCo's 'Random Acts of Refreshment.'

A user can send the drink to another vending machine to be received for free by a stranger.

For instance, one can send the drink as a “symbol of encouragement” to a someone in the city that has witnessed a weather crisis or as a “congratulatory” beverage to a student who has won a scholarship.

Pepsi-Coke rivalry to hot-up?
The launch of Social Vending System will definitely take the rivalry between PepsiCo and Coca-Cola to a new level.

Last year, Coca-Cola had released viral videos featuring its 'Happiness Machine.' The company had overnight set up its vending machine at St John’s University in Queens with hidden cameras to capture students' reactions.

Next day, students were surprised seeing the vending machine deliver free cokes, pizzas, flowers, Coke, balloon animals, etc.

Coco-Cola's 'Happiness Machine,' was a big hit among students, who were seen laughing, jumping thanking, and even hugging the vending machine.

Coke has also introduced interactive machines with touchscreen.

The two beverage giants seem to be leaving no stone unturned to grab more market share, and the latest move by Pepsi only proves that the competition between the two drinker makers is going high-tech.