Would You Buy an Empty Coke Bottle?

Coca Cola, one of the most instantly recognized brands in the world, is betting that many people will buy an empty Coke bottle—and probably more than one—even though the bottles are only 3 inches tall and designed as accessories that can be attached to bags or clothing. The appeal is in the graphics and connectivity: the series of 18 colorful mini-bottles can send messages and avatars to other bottles in the range.

The bottle designs, wrapped around the iconic Coke bottle shape, pay tribute to past and future host countries of the World Cup, featuring colorful national flags and well-recognized visual motifs of countries like Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Qatar, Russia, and others. The collectible bottles are certain to become instant collectibles and are already cropping up on eBay sites around the world.

Then there’s the communications part. Soccer fans can use Android, Facebook or iPhone to create and send messages and pictures to other bottles where the pictures can also be displayed. And what would this all be without a smartphone app? There are markers integrated into the bottle designs that will open up as augmented reality animations when scanned with smartphones.

Adding to a legacy of commemorating major events with special Coke bottles, Coca-Cola launched the program with 18 bottles in Brazil that honor that nation’s World Cup taking place in Rio de Janeiro this summer.

Not a company to miss an opportunity, regular sizes of Coke will also be specially decorated and readily available in each of the host nations, further feeding fans’ voracious enthusiasm for World Cup soccer.