For April Fool's Day in Canada, KFC teased the launch of a smart chicken bucket equipped with a voice-activated delivery system and dining assistant.
As part of the prank, the product was launched on Amazon, touting "Customizable profiles create optimal meal-time moods" and other features that remind of popular smart home devices.
As much as The Bucket was purely created as an April Fool's hoax from KFC, it is not that far-fetched as a concept. Recently, Tostitos created a NFC chip bag that is capable of calling an Uber in order to make sure partiers get home same and there are now plenty of inanimate smart objects like Amazon's Echo that can order meals in response to voice commands. Previously, KFC also released limited-edition chicken buckets for Mother's Day that could be recorded with a special message.
Voice-Activated Chicken Buckets
KFC Duped Consumers with 'The Bucket' on April Fool's Day
Trend Themes
1. Smart Inanimate Objects - The trend of inanimate objects with smart capabilities, like the voice-activated chicken bucket, presents opportunities for seamless integration of technology in everyday products.
2. Voice-activated Delivery Systems - The rise of voice-activated delivery systems, as demonstrated by the April Fool's prank, opens up possibilities for convenient and hands-free ordering experiences.
3. Customizable Smart Profiles - The concept of customizable profiles, as seen in the fake smart chicken bucket, indicates a growing trend of personalized and tailored experiences in various industries.
Industry Implications
1. Food and Beverage - The food and beverage industry can explore disruptive innovation opportunities in incorporating voice-activated delivery systems and smart objects into their operations.
2. Technology and Electronics - The technology and electronics industry can capitalize on the trend of smart inanimate objects and voice-activated systems by developing innovative products and solutions.
3. Retail and E-commerce - The retail and e-commerce industry can leverage the concept of customizable smart profiles to enhance customer experiences and drive personalization in their offerings.