Alcohol helps to loosen people's lips at a European networking eventAlcohol has long been known as a social lubricant, which is exactly why Nordic agency group Hasan & Partners has created a device that dispense beer only when two people are charging their phone together. Installed at this year’s Eurobest, a celebration of European creativity held in Helsinki, the concept is designed to make networking more enjoyable, while also preventing too many awkward silences.
Built by Hasan & Partners’ sister company, Perfect Fools, the device dispenses Carlsberg beer whenever two phones are being charged at the same time. It’s powered by Raspberry Pi, and uses a USB hub to detect when the phones are connected. This in turn opens the draft taps on the beer dispenser, resulting in a much more refreshing way to catch up on the day’s events.
“We want to welcome Europe’s most creative minds to Eurobest in my home city of Helsinki and ensure they get the most out of this inspiring event. By encouraging delegates to interact and share a beer, while charging their phones, we can ensure that not only do they have fun but also that they meet some great people,” said Ami Hasan, chairman of Hasan & Partners and Perfect Fools.
To take sharing a step further, the agency also created a virtual slot machine game that only works when people share their location (the Hasan & Partner’s stand at the conference) via Facebook or Twitter. Games can be played on mobile, but are also displayed on giant LCD screens at the stand. Prizes include deluxe cruises from TallinkGrupp, chocolate from Fazer, and a chance to share your work with Hasan herself, and Eka Ruola, CEO/CCO of Hasan & Partners.
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