Diageo launches ‘Happy Hour’ skill for Amazon Alexa

Consumers can ask for Snoop Dogg’s drink choice

March 19, 2018

Diageo North America, Norwalk, Conn., announced the development of a new skill for Amazon Alexa. With Diageo's new “Happy Hour” skill, available for users 21 and older on Amazon Alexa-enabled devices, at-home entertaining becomes easier and more experiential, the company says.

For the at-home bartender there's always the age-old question of, "What drink can I mix up using the assortment of offerings from my home bar and refrigerator?" By asking Alexa to "open Happy Hour," three key elements provide users access to numerous drink recipes as well as nearby bars.

The “Mix-It-Up” element allows Alexa to discover what users are in the mood for and then suggests the perfect drink recipe for the occasion. The “Cheers” element celebrates the cheers’ behavior when enjoying drinks with friends. Spoken in a witty tone, the “Happy Hour” skill for Alexa will offer up a plethora of reasons for cheers, even specific to the day it might be. Finally, when looking to journey out of the house, the “Find a Bar” feature recommends a nearby bar to enjoy a Diageo cocktail, enabled by an integration with Yelp, and sends all recommendations directly to the user's Alexa app on their handheld device.

"Making drinks for friends should be fun and stress-free and we're thrilled to introduce a skill that encourages responsible creation and enjoyment of cocktails in the home environment. Amazon will be the home of Diageo's interactive voice technology, and this experiential skill is built in a manner that easily allows for ongoing updates. We're looking forward to sharing new interactive elements in the coming months," said Devin Nagy, director of technology and emerging platforms at Diageo North America, in a statement.

Whether legal-drinking-age consumers are looking to create the perfect Tequila Don Julio Margarita in celebration of National Margarita Day, or trying to perfect a Bulleit Bourbon Old Fashioned, the “Happy Hour” skill is the go-to they can count on.

“Here's an insider tip on me, when hanging with your friends and looking to mix up a drink, use the ‘Happy Hour’ skill and ask Alexa for 'Snoop Dogg's drink of choice,’” rapper Snoop Dogg said. “You won't be disappointed since it will certainly give you a reason to cheers if you’re sippin' like Snoop."

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