Going out to a bar and meeting new people isn’t horribly challenging, but making it “Facebook-official?” Now that’s a bit more challenging. Have no fear, socially awkward people! Budweiser is here!
source: YouTube
Budweiser recently released a new pint glass, complete with a built-in chip, that allows you to add a new friend on Facebook when you clink glasses with another “Büddy Cup.” The product was initially released in Brazil and makers say, “The “Büddy Cup” is another idea bringing the brand even closer to its consumers and opening new levels of interaction for them.” (via TheDrum)
Betabeat‘s Jordan Valinsky wrote, “Budweiser’s ‘Buddy Cup’ Forces You to Drunkenly Facebook Friend Strangers: We prefer our Bud Light Lime in a bottle, but thanks.”
Twitter users, too, thought it seemed not so great:
This is technology for technology sake…Budweiser Buddy Cup Adds Facebook Friends bit.ly/ZgItB0
— Charles Black (@CharlesRBlack) April 29, 2013
This is a bad idea, @budweiser. I don’t want my drunk life posted all over facebook #BuddyCupyoutube.com/watch?feature=…!
— Erik Carlson (@ecarlson23) April 26, 2013
Ian Chant, from tech blog, Geekosystem, cynically (and hilariously) observes, “the beverage is a natural fit for the scheme — cheap, watery, unsatisfying, and only partaken of because it’s kind of expected of you, Budweiser is to beers what Facebook is to friendship.”
Check out the promotional video:
What do you think? Great idea for making friends? Or is Budweiser taking it a step too far?
I personally don't see the problem with this. If you don't want to be-friend someone with the cup, just don't use the cup. If you use the cup to be-friend someone that night and change your mind the next morning, just de-friend them.