What is this new, fancy Sunset and Vine Walgreens trying to do with a virtual bartender?

The kiosk is a mix of video clips (the bartender speaks to you!) and touchscreen browsing through drink descriptions and recipes.  I believe the interface had TOO MANY CHOICES, some that felt like forced advertising (About Our Brand!).  As consumers, we want simple, tactile, and satisfying.

The content is helpful.  Who doesn’t need a guide through the nuances of a particular scotch while picking out a dinner party present?

But the OPTIONS!  Wine Cellar, Scotch Center, Brand Information, each with a little description and photograph.  Don’t do this.  Offer back screens and lists of information, rather than many multiple buttons.

Overall, a nice installation needing some navigational tweaks.

But horror of horrors, Walgreens boldly offered a classically abominable digital/ physical disruption.

Walgreens does not stock the ingredients that are included in their recipes and recommendations.  This is the opposite of seamless, my friends.

I even sent the register boy and his superior (excuse me, associates) scrambling through the aisles in search of bitters.

“What was it?” they kept asking.  “Biggers?  Is it a vodka?”  No, fancy digital virtual bartender, your recipe would have gone unfulfilled…

…if I weren’t the professional/amateur barkeeper of ©BarMae, fully stocked at home.

ANALOG WINS THIS ROUND, FANCY WALGREENS.