Budweiser’s ‘Buddy Cup’ Turns Partiers Into Facebook Friends

How often have you met some awesome peeps at the bar, only to never see them again because you were too drunk for proper introductions? Budweiser Brazil has the perfect solution. The brewery, in conjunction with Agencia Africa and Sao Paulo digital innovation studio Bohla, just unveiled the Buddy Cup, a beer glass that connects to Facebook with a built-in chip.

Say you’re at a bar, and you meet someone almost as awesome as you are. No need to try exchanging digits or Twitter handles in your phones, just clink Buddy Cups and you automatically become friends on Facebook.

Innovation is in Budweiser’s DNA,” said Sergio Gordilho, chief creative officer at Agencia Africa. “Its platforms are constantly surprising consumers with the best there is in terms of premium experiences. The “Buddy Cup” is another idea bringing the brand even closer to its consumers and opening new levels of interaction for them.

Pretty sweet, right? All Bud drinkers need to do for social drinking is scan the QR code on the bottom of their glasses with their smartphones to link their social media profiles. While the Buddy Cup has the potential to change our clubbing interactions forever, it could also cause some sticky situations. Think about it…. Once a certain level of intoxication is reached, everyone and anyone can be your new best friend. And with Budweiser’s Buddy Cup, every toast promises a new friend. But what about the next day when you wake up to dozens of new Facebook friends you barely remember?

And what about accidental clinks? Forget roofies, the Buddy Cup could create an ideal situation for stalkers, meandering around a bar covertly clinking glasses of unsuspecting cuties. As a “friend,” the creepers would have access to a host of personal information.

Creepers aside, though, the Buddy Cup promises a lot of fun at events Budweiser plans to market it, such as concerts, festivals and parties. While it’s exclusively in South America right now, we’ll anxiously await its launch here in the states.