Talking machine

Used to be that buying a soft drink or candy bar from a vending machine felt a little bit like gambling. Well, I have a feeling that’s about to change and that we’re on the cusp of a new era in vending machines. Will there come a day when Coke machines deploy retinal scanners to automatically dispense your beverage of choice while delivering a brand experience related to your favorite rock band and sports team? It may be some time before manufacturers and retailers fully capitalize on vending machines as an additional customer touch point and relationship-building vehicle. Coke is planning to introduce a talking vending machine sometime in 2010!