Leading Czech beverage company Big Shock! has won the race to be first to use Ardagh Metal Packaging’s pioneering colour-to-colour thermochromic ink technology.

The energy drink producer is showing off the irresistible effect on a limited edition 500ml can aimed to appeal to fans of gaming. Set against a stunning black background with dynamic red and yellow graphics, a “game-loading”-style thermochromic panel gradually transforms from yellow, in ambient conditions, to vibrant green as the contents chill to the perfect drinking temperature.

Ardagh has utilised the colour-to-colour effect in partnership with CTI, the world leader in thermochromic ink manufacturing. Building on the success of Ardagh’s existing clear-to-colour Thermo Impact finish, in which hidden messages or designs are revealed at a pre-defined temperature, the new colour-to-colour option uses special coloured inks to accurately indicate temperature change while offering the chance to enhance graphic design in a huge number of ways. For the Big Shock! limited gaming edition, the aesthetic features only black, red and yellow until the can is chilled – when the “green for go” finally appears – cleverly suggesting traffic lights and the excitement of racing games.

Colour-to-colour was a great choice for Big Shock!, as Jan Kopriva, Big Shock! Marketing Manager, says: “In the energy drink sector we embrace the adventurous and the edgy, so the colour-to-colour thermo effect is the exactly the kind of dynamic twist we want for our cans. Plus, our gaming community will love seeing at a quick glance that their Big Shock! is perfectly chilled and ready to drink.”

Dirk Schwung, Sales Director at Ardagh Metal Packaging - Europe, says, “We have many years’ experience in supplying beverage markets in which consumption temperature is critical, and are proud to be one of the pioneers in delivering these exciting thermochromic can finishes. The Big Shock! can looks fantastic, and we’d love to see other adventurous customers take the dive into incorporating a little thermo colour into their designs.” In addition to yellow-to-green, other options available for the colour-to-colour Thermo Impact finish are yellow-to-orange, and pink-to-purple.

Filled by Starzinger in Austria, the Big Shock! limited edition gaming can is available on the Czech and Slovak markets now.