“The secret is ice cold”: Jägermeister launches thermochromatic prize code labeling

13 Oct 2022 --- Jägermeister is using a thermochromic ink-enhanced label to reveal a prize code when stored at its ideal -18ºC temperature. Consumers put their received code into the Jägermeister website to reveal whether they have won a prize as a part of its “The Secret is Ice Cold” campaign. 

The temperature-sensitive back label is an extension of the company’s campaign, launched in December 2021. However, Jägermeister has been dabbling with thermochromatic labels since 2019, when Berkshire Labels created a thermochromic sleeve for its bottles at the time.

Jägermeister states they designed the label to reveal the code at -18ºC to ensure the brand’s blend of 56 herbs, roots and botanicals are at their best and reinforce the brand’s message of the beverage being best-enjoyed ice cold.

Other companies have implemented other thermochromic ink labels to create the experience of revealing a “secret” message on packaging to boost consumer engagement.

 When stored at  -18ºC, Jägermeister black labeled bottles show a code for consumers to win prizes. Thermochromatic promotion
Last month, the brand released 500,000 thermochromic ink bottles in the UK for promotion. Of those bottles, 1,500 prizes were made available. 

The largest prize includes tickets to a European Jägermeister festival experience with three friends. Other prizes available are mini- Jägermeister chillers, cradle freezers, £50 (US$55) in Jägershop e-shop vouchers and branded shot glasses – all obtained using the revealed code from the label. 

The most recent public demonstration of Jägermeister’s labels was at a pop-up store in Munich Airport to celebrate Oktoberfest. The company showcased its temperature-changing labels, encouraging user engagement. 

The competition is supported across social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.

Past thermochromatic uses 
In 2018, Coca-Cola delivered the world’s first commercial use of thermochromic “reveal” ink on cans. Their subsidiary brands’ cans revealed texts and images when the beverages were placed in a cold environment. 

Several major alcoholic and mainstream soda brands, such as Coors and the Fox River Brewing Company, have used thermochromic ink labels since. 

Thermochromic inks are also used to detect if F&B products have been appropriately sterilized for consumption based on temperature detection.

Markem Imaje released a thermochromic ink in 2020 for food packaging, offering a more noticeable color change to indicate proper sterilization of food products. The ink changes from black to blue when the food package reaches the correct temperature between 115-125°C.

By Sabine Waldeck

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