Foursquare is a mobile phone app that’s rapidly getting quite popular. It is a “geo-social” networking app that allows you to tell the world exactly where you’re out to eat, drink and\/or be merry, and what you think of it. And you can check out other people’s recommendations to plan your revelry. You can also use it to find the new interesting places in the city, like restaurants, or museums, or whatever else your friends are interested in; and you can use it to get reviews of any place that you want to know more about.<\/p>\n
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Click on the image for an enlarged view<\/strong><\/p>\n How does it work? <\/strong><\/p>\n You “check-in” to places you visit by letting the app know where you are. Friends who use the app then know where you are, and can come party with you. Users earn points & unlock badges for discovering new things. It also doubles up as a game where you compete for the Mayor-ship of a store based on the number of times you visit or check in to the store.<\/p>\n As simple as that, you may say!<\/p>\n What makes it most interesting is that Foursquare is primarily a technology to be used on your mobile phone. The exploding use of mobile internet in India is another reason to think that foursquare can be big in India. And looking at what brands have been doing across the world, Foursquare can be used in India to reach out to potential customers. Here is a look at how brands have used this platform as a marketing tool.<\/p>\n A real treasure hunt:<\/strong><\/p>\n Jimmy Choo, a world-renowned footwear brand, organized a real-time treasure hunt around London via Foursquare. A pair of Jimmy Choo trainers checked in at various locations and those who followed the campaign and were lucky enough to arrive at a venue before the trainers left got to pick a pair in the style and size of their choosing. The pair of sneakers checked in at trendy spots such as Lounge Lover, The Hummingbird Bakery and the members-only Mortons. The campaign was Jimmy Choo brand\u2019s first foray into social media marketing; a rep said they wanted to use Foursquare to engage fans both online and off. Apparently this was \u201cthe first time Foursquare has been used to check in an object (rather than a person) at locations.\u201d<\/p>\n Brewing up some loyalty rewards:<\/strong><\/p>\n Loyalty rewards are the fundamental offerings that most brands offer using Foursquare. But with Starbucks, loyalty rewards was redefined on Foursquare. Instead of just offering one regular check-in special and the regular Mayor\u2019s discount for its customers, Starbucks has gone to a national level. Now anyone who is a mayor of any Starbucks store across the country can claim the special Mayor\u2019s discount in any of the store across USA. This has led to increase in sales of however-you-want-it Frappuccino and a drastic rise in the number of followers of Starbucks on Foursquare.<\/p>\n There are a number of reasons why the Starbucks nationwide mayor reward was significant. It was a first for both Foursquare and the coffee retailer, and brought mass attention to the marketing possibilities of the location-sharing trend.<\/p>\n Loving it on Foursquare:<\/strong><\/p>\n McDonald\u2019s used Foursquare to increase check-ins to its stores by 33% in one day with a little Foursquare ingenuity. McDonald\u2019s total cost for the successful campaign was a measly $1,000. McDonald\u2019s opted to try and take advantage of Foursquare Day (4\/16) to bring in more business. The company used 100 randomly awarded $5 and $10 gift cards as check-in bait to lure in potential diners. The bait also worked to attract the media\u2019s attention and resulted in more than 50 articles covering McDonald\u2019s Foursquare special, which was the true measure of their campaign success.<\/p>\n The campaign worked in both digital and real world capacities. Patrons flocked to McDonald\u2019s restaurants for the chance to win gift cards in exchange for check-ins, and 600,000 online denizens opted to follow and fan the brand on social media sites.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/windchimes.co.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Foursquare.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>Click on the image for an enlarged view<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>Click on the image for an enlarged view<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>Click on the image for an enlarged view <\/strong><\/p>\n