The Absolut Company is supporting customers in their pursuit of the perfect cocktail via a new partnership featuring a smart scale, mobile application and Bluetooth technology that make it easy to measure ingredients and know when to stop pouring.

Absolut has teamed up with The Perfect Company and its smart kitchen appliances in a bid to prompt more consumers to use its vodka when making cocktails at home. Consumers can invest in the Perfect Drink Smart Scale, which uses Bluetooth technology to weigh each ingredient?s pour in real-time and communicates this to a mobile app, ensuring the creation of a perfect drink.

?Smart technology such as Perfect Drink is revolutionizing at-home bartending,? said Darin Barri, co-founder of The Perfect Company. ?Cocktail enthusiasts can now enjoy world-class cocktails at home, the same way they would if being served by a professional. 

?Whether the consumer is experienced at making mixed drinks or more of a novice, every cocktail will be perfect, every single time.?

Bottling up mobile help
Mobile is playing a larger role in the kitchen these days, partly due to the proliferation of smart home appliances using Bluetooth technology to connect to apps on consumers? smartphones. Millennials are increasingly relying on their personal devices for help in the kitchen, as 59 percent claim they cook with their tablets or smartphones nearby, according to a study from Google (see story).

Absolut fans wanting to test out new cocktail recipes at home can purchase the Perfect Drink Smart Scale and download the complementary Perfect Drink Interactive Recipe app. There, consumers will find recipes for ?Absolut Classic? cocktails, including the Sea Breeze and Lemon Drop, as well as more unusual beverages, such as the Elderflower Collins and Espresso Martini.

Individuals must then connect the Perfect Drink app to the scale via Bluetooth, and select a recipe to make. The scale will weigh each ingredient?s pour in real-time, while the app will inform consumers when to stop pouring.

Since concocting an alcoholic beverage sometimes involves an imperfect pour, the app will accommodate that and compensate for over-pours by rescaling the drink's other contents.

?This is forward thinking,? said Joshua Keller, co-founder and CEO of Union Square Media. ?While grassroots marketing is still the most effective for liquor brands, this is undoubtedly a very clever way to be relevant in the digital age.?

Absolut has long had a dedication to leveraging innovative technology and tactics as it ramps up to target millennial audiences. Consumers starting out in their cocktail-making experiences will likely find much use in the scale and Perfect Drink Interactive Recipe app, especially if they are hosting a party or get-together.

Absolut has also joined forces with other alcohol marketers, cementing its status as a mobile leader in the spirits industry.

Last year, alcohol delivery app Saucey stirred up sales by introducing new weekly packages featuring Absolut Vodka cocktails in addition to launching an on-demand bartender service.

?I think these type of collaborations are inevitable,? Mr. Keller said. ?Between the information you can acquire on the users and the re-marketing of the brand or product through the device, it?s a win-win.?

Spotlighting the Internet of Things
Consumers can expect to see many more mobile-enabled smart kitchen and household appliances begin to permeate the industry, as brands begin experimenting with new technologies and solutions to further the rise of the connected home.

For example, Target is introducing a new series of connected devices powered by mobile applications for its Open House retail space, continuing a mission to bring the Internet of Things into customers? homes (see story).

These growing trends will have a spillover effect onto other sectors as well.

As the Internet of Things permeates more homes, potential buyers increasingly expect mobile-enabled connected devices to be included, prompting the real estate industry to forge partnerships with smart technology providers (see story).

?Smart home/kitchen technology has huge growth potential,? The Perfect Company?s Mr. Barri said. ?More and more, consumers are bringing their smart devices into the kitchen and using them to share their experiences, improve or learn more skills, and have more fun. 

?In terms of our own partnership, we are working closely with Absolut to continually come up with  exciting and innovative ways to create great experiences with our brands.?