Exploiting Coca Cola points thing?

[difx0]

Coca Cola is doing this promotion where there is a code on every bottle, and if you collect some codes then you can use them on a website and "buy" prizes with codes

I was thinking

is it possible to use some device to see through the label on the bottle and find out what the code is?

then you can walk into a store and just scan all the bottles and get many codes

camera with Infra Red filter or some UV light setup or powerful flash or something?

the code is etched into the bottle and is covered with coca cola label, which is very very thing plastic

anyone has any ideas?

[Sparda]

Crayon rubbing would probably work.

[bobdole369]

My sister and I would just look up at the top from underneath (sort of alongside the bottle). That was enough to tell whether or not a free one was in there.

[VaKo]

It might be easier to work out what the codes are, then brute force the site.

[h3%5kr3w]

Remember when you would get a Dr. Pepper and chances are 1 to 3 you got a free dp or coke? Now it's like what?... 1 in 20?

[difx0]

I was thinking about working out the algorithm, but my knowledge on that subject is very small

its a 12 character alpha-numeric algorithm

and every code gives you some points, atleast 2, others give 3 and multipacks give 12 pts.

so every code is a winner, its just that you need 100+ points for decent rewards

hmmm

anyone here knows about cracking algorithms? :)

[difx0]

I found something interesting

A guy puts a black rubbish/trash bag over his head and with this camera you can see through it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mV4ecEbV1s

could possibly work for cola bottle? :)

any thoughts anybody?

[Sparda]

I found something interesting

A guy puts a black rubbish/trash bag over his head and with this camera you can see through it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mV4ecEbV1s

could possibly work for cola bottle? :)

any thoughts anybody?

Thermal cameras produce images by differentiating between frequencies in the infrared spectrum rather than the visible light spectrum, lets hope that the codes produce heat or absorb heat more than the rest of the bottle. Defiantly worth spending a few thousand dollars to researcher this in the hopes of getting a few prizes in the tens of dollars range.

[VaKo]

It picks up heat, so it might work as the bottle will be a different temperature to the label, but this will be minimal. The biggest issue is that the camera costs $2000 at a absolutely dirt cheap bottom end of the price range.

Just how many bottles of coke are you planning on buying?

[Juf]

I don't know if it would work but you could always try using a $ony night cam. It uses two high powered IR lights to make it usable at night, voyuerist discovered that the IR light, being thinner than normal light would go through clothes. Thus seeing through clothes and recording as if the clothes weren't there. Maybe the same concept could be used with coke instead of clothes? Whatchu think?

[difx0]

Yeah that thermo - camera is kinda expensive for this purpose, but looks like it will do the trick

I am thinking to try a really powerful IR light and a camera that has its IR filter removed, both very cheaply acquired, but not sure if it will work

[VaKo]

I don't think the physics will work right for that. You would need to find a wavelength that would penetrate the plastic of the label but not render the bottle invisible.

[moonlit]

No, that wouldn't work.

Edit: Actually, I suppose if you tried to look down through the liquid it might, but it won't see through the label. Still, you'd look pretty suspect running around trying to scan bottles in IR.

[difx0]

Hmm so I guess the final answer would be that this would only be possible using thermo-imaging, with the very expensive camera? and even then there is a possibility that it will be not clear enough?

is that right?

no other options?

[Sparda]

Hmm so I guess the final answer would be that this would only be possible using thermo-imaging, with the very expensive camera? and even then there is a possibility that it will be not clear enough?

is that right?

no other options?

I believe it was indicated that the the number on the bottle, the bottle and the contents of the bottle are probably the same temperature.

[difx0]

That leaves no feasible solutions as far as I can see then :(

[Juf]

IR would work if you were to photograph at the right angle as it can see through coke. (Refer to Moonlit's post)

[VaKo]

From a purely technical POV, this is possible to do, with the right equipment and a certain amount of fiddling about. But from a practical points-win-prizes POV, the amount of time, effort and resources you would have to invest in order to generate any form of "profit" from this venture would be impractical, and you would be better off just half-inching a pallet of coke, selling it, and using your ill gotten gains to buy the prizes.