While the time of year for cold drinks—with or without that little something extra—is waning with the approach of the end of the year, there will still be call for a little alcohol. Whether beer with Thanksgiving football games or champagne at New Year’s Eve, demand seldom fades with the cold weather. Hooch, therefore, has a little extra room to celebrate as it lands $1.5 million from investors looking to help it achieve its goal of delivering booze via mobile app, though in an unexpected way.
Hooch has established what’s been called a “private cocktail society.” Users pay $9.99 per month, and—assuming they live in certain cities where Hooch is accepted—are able to get one free drink at a variety of different bars and clubs. Of course, that might seem like a losing proposition for someone; considering cocktail prices at bars and clubs, it might take two drinks or less before that $9.99 is blown clear through.
However, users also get to see many more places. This also means that the bars and clubs in question can likewise see new patrons, and potentially, sell some alcohol to these thirsty newcomers. It offers the potential for the best advertising of all as well: word of mouth. Customers can tell friends about a great experience, and that’s going to get people coming in much more readily than buying ads in a paper or magazine.
Hooch, meanwhile, is also looking to expand outward into being the mobile payments app of choice for bars. Eventually, Hooch means to reach a point where users can order additional drinks through the app, and even use the app as a payment mechanism to settle up the tab at the end of the night.
Normally we hear about mobile apps that want to make delivering alcohol to your front door an easier process, but there are certain undeniably social aspects of booze that make going out to get it a much more viable alternative. The idea of a “free drink network” is likely to gain its share of ground, and get some interested in places they might never have seen otherwise. Free drinks, free promotion, and an app at the center that makes it all possible makes Hooch a fine idea.
