Trending vending (machines)

Guilty pleasures. We all have them. Chocolate, shoes, video games, the list goes on. For me, it’s Essie nail polish. It’s a rare occasion when I go out shopping and don’t pick up a new bottle to add to my ever-growing collection. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to learn that Essie will be rolling out a fleet of Essie Color Boutiques—nail polish vending machines—in airports and malls all over the country.

A vending machine. So simple, yet so smart! This clever marketing ploy from Essie is part of a growing trend. Major brands across the globe are reinventing the traditional vending machine in new and exciting ways to generate buzz among consumers. French champagne maker Moët & Chandon has placed its product behind the glass in British department stores. By putting its product in such an ordinary display, the brand is making itself more accessible and appealing to entry-level shoppers, according to Luxury Daily.

Twitter-enabled vending machines were giving out free Old Navy sandals in Japan to anyone who tweeted from their conveniently placed kiosks. The goal was never intended to be a traffic-driving initiative, according to AdWeek, but rather an excitement-building tactic to celebrate the brand’s 10 years of history.

A captive consumer is the best consumer. An exhausted parent stuck on a train platform with a bored kid is even better. Lego has captured this market in at least one train station with this fun vending machine.

Today’s consumers are constantly receiving convenient, tailored shopping experiences online, and there is no reason why that experience can’t follow them. Using these cleverly placed machines can help brands appeal to a new audience, gain brand awareness, or simply sell products in a new way. What is the most interesting vending machine you’ve seen?