Why the Message In a Bottle idea is Trending in the Business Industry

Nowadays, branding of glass bottles and glass jars is a huge part of the marketing strategies for beer companies, sports drinks, soft drinks, etc. But back in the day, some companies were using glass bottles to advertise in a completely different way.

The concept of communicating by sending a message in a bottle dates back to 310 BC, when philosopher Theophrastus used it to confirm that the water from the Mediterranean Sea flowed into the Atlantic Ocean.

In the next centuries, many people in distress threw bottles containing messages in the ocean hoping to find help. Notable names like Christopher Columbus, crewmembers that were marooned after shipwrecks, men from the military, distraught lovers and people who’re just making wishes and pleas, all hurled bottles with messages into the ocean.

The Fascination with Messages-in-Bottles

We’re so intrigued by the idea of sending messages in the bottle that it made its way into pop culture too. In 1979, The Police released a song called “Message in a Bottle”, in 1998, Nicolas Sparks released a book by the same name, and a few years later, Kevin Costner and Robin Wright starred in a movie called “Message in a Bottle”.

It’s no surprise that messages-in-bottles are still used as invitations for special occasions and people can even send a virtual “message-in-bottle” online.

So, what is it about Messages-In-Bottles (MIBs) that make them so fascinating?

MIBs represent hope. Because the chances of finding a message-in-a-bottle are so slim, it’s always exciting when one makes it to the shore. The “sender” is putting something out there, not knowing whether it will reach someone but they do it anyway. The “receiver” gets an unexpected message that evokes emotions.

It’s the emotional response that MIBs trigger that makes them so captivating, which is why the business industry began using them for marketing purposes.

How Guinness Sent Messages-in-a-Bottle for Advertising

In the 1950s, top marketers discovered the power of messages-in-a-bottle and decided to use them to spread the word about their brand. Managing Director of Guinness Exports Ltd, A.W. Fawcett, proved he’s a marketing genius when he decided to drop 200,000 MIBs into the ocean during the 1950s.

In 1954, Guinness dropped the first 50,000 bottles. Five years later, they dropped another batch of bottles, but this time they were embossed with a special print.

Historian David Hughes claims that Guinness had worked out the operation well in advance to ensure the ocean currents direct the bottles on to the shores of countries it was targeting. The idea was to use bottles to advertise the company to specific countries by dropping the bottles at locations tactical locations.

In one of the bottles that have survived many decades, the message gave an incredibly detailed description of how the bottles were made and sealed. Details of how the cork was inserted into the bottle, the layer of sealant, the cap, tape, and lead-based wrapper were applied.

It’s innovative, creative and impactful!

Even today, Guinness remains one of the world’s more successful beer brands.

Fawcett argues that the longer a message-in-a-bottle goes without being heard, the greater its value. Speaking about the bottles Guinness used, he claimed that they were so well sealed that their messages can be found and read during the next 500 years too.

It may sound like an exaggeration, but some Guinness bottles were found 60 years after they had been hurled into the ocean; there’s no telling how many more will show up in the coming years!

Think you can benefit from using messages-in-a-bottle to market your brand?

PremiumVials offers a wide selection of high-quality glass bottles for wine, beer, and spirits that are perfect for message-in-a-bottle advertising!

We specialize in supplying premium packaging materials for companies of all sizes. We supply glass vials, glass dropper bottles, food containers, graduated droppers and many more products.

Contact us today for more information.