(BPT) - The next time you find yourself pumping gas, don't be surprised if Miles offers to keep you company. He’s not an attendant and he isn’t a friendly good Samaritan.
Miles is the name given to the first ever BP Personality Pump, an interactive smart pump that will first start appearing at BP stations this year. Miles uses proprietary technology allowing him to “speak” with consumers as they are filling their tanks. Miles receives responses in real-time through a touchscreen tablet allowing consumers to interact with him via an array of entertainment options.
“We know that most people don’t enjoy pumping gas. So we asked ourselves, how can we make those moments spent at the pump more fun,” said Donna Sanker, chief marketing officer of BP Fuels North America. “With the BP Personality Pump, we hope to redefine perceptions of the routine fill-up and build a meaningful relationship with our consumers, giving them a fulfilling and entertaining experience during the time they spend with us.”
Miles is programmed to interact with consumers in several different ways. During their visit, consumers will have the opportunity to engage Miles by playing music trivia, selecting songs to play through Pandora or even by recording a video e-card that they can then share on their social media channels. And, upon finishing filling up their tank, consumers will also have the opportunity to send themselves a text message with the content they created during their interaction with Miles. This message will include a link to the Pandora station they chose as well as a special return offer.
The goal, according to BP, is to make the otherwise routine task of filling a gas tank more fun and memorable.
Miles will first appear in November, 2016 in the Chicago and New York Metro areas.
To showcase more of Miles’ capabilities, BP has teamed up with The Onion Inc.’s creative services agency, Onion Labs, to develop a series of videos capturing customers’ interactions with Miles. You can watch this video, titled Laura & Miles, to learn more about the first-ever Personality Pump. You can find more videos at www.theonion.com/special/innovation.