PULSE
MACHINE
A biometric vending machine that rewarded high heart rates with dynamic discounts, turning product sampling into a fitness challenge.
01 — The Challenge
Make the reward earned.
IronAge Sports Drink entered a category dominated by established competitors. Rather than relying on traditional sampling, the goal was to create an experience that connected product consumption to physical effort.
Passive sampling is easily forgotten. By requiring active participation, the brand could associate itself with achievement, effort, and performance — the core values behind sports hydration.
02 — The Innovation
Custom biometric sensor pads for real-time BPM capture
Hardware meets
biometrics.
We developed a vending machine equipped with biometric sensors that adjusted product
pricing based on the user's heart rate. By placing their hands on the pads, participants triggered a live
BPM reading — the higher the heart rate, the lower the price.
This rule transformed a purchase into a physical challenge, linking product reward directly to performance.
Real-time BPM
Heart rate was captured and displayed instantly, creating a direct biofeedback loop between effort and reward.
Dynamic Price
The system converted heart rate data into real-time price discounts, transforming the purchase into a performance-based challenge.
Impact Display
A large digital display on the vending machine made the challenge visible from a distance, drawing attention and encouraging public participation.
03 — Design & Interaction
An interface built for effort.
The vending machine was designed to communicate performance and innovation. A dark
visual language with neon cyan accents aligned with IronAge branding, while the digital panel focused on a
single metric: heart rate.
A pulsing EKG-style visualization provided immediate feedback, reinforcing the connection between physical
effort and reward.
Real-time visual feedback during the heart rate challenge.
04 — Impact & Results
Turning effort into engagement
Live interaction transforming physical effort into rewards.
Within the first month, the installation generated strong audience engagement, demonstrating that effort-driven participation increases brand recall and motivates immediate action.
Rather than simple product distribution, the machine turned participants into active promoters, expanding reach through spontaneous sharing and public interaction.
05 — Recognition
Awards & Press.
Best Ads on TV
Ambient of the Week
August 17, 2013
Prêmio Colunistas
Silver in Promotional Action — Product category.
06 — Watch the Case
07 — Outcomes
Participation creates memory.
Pulse Machine demonstrated that physical participation creates stronger engagement than passive consumption. Requiring effort increased perceived value for both the reward and the brand experience.
Effort is Sticky
Physical effort generates stronger brand memory than traditional visual advertising.
Interactive Value
Biometric input enabled a personalized exchange, turning data into meaningful user value.
Brand Identity
The experience aligned IronAge's performance-driven identity with its retail interaction.
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