Foursquare: Location-based consumer insights?

By Johnny Schroepfer

Foursquare is one of the best iPhone applications to date. The idea is simple: check-in on your mobile device at various restaurants, clubs or stores to receive points, unlock badges and even become “mayor” of the venue.

Foursquare also encourages competition amongst your friends to see who can rack up the most points in the same city. This “location-based” social networking app has great potential for brands in terms of understanding and rewarding their customers.

While some major brands like Pepsi have taken advantage of sponsoring leader board pages, local businesses are using the app by offering specials for the“mayor” of their venue. For example, I’ve checked-in to bars and received messages similar to “The mayor of Bar X drinks for free from 8pm-10pm” or “The mayor of Restaurant X receives a free appetizer with purchase of $9.99 or more.”

These location-based promotions are a great way to interact with and reward your customers. The application not only tracks where users are checking-in (and how often) but also allows users to write tips and to-dos for each venue.

Local businesses have the opportunity to understand how often users are visiting their store or restaurant, what they’re saying about the service and what they’re suggesting to other users.

Location-based services like Foursquare will help the mobile industry grow in the United States by increasing engagement and providing value to its users.

Would an app like Foursquare make you more engaged with a local business or major brand?

***

Johnny Schroepfer is the strategy & content director at Vitamin IMC and a student in the Masters in Integrated Marketing Communications program at Northwestern University's Medill School. He can be reached at johnnyschroepfer@u.northwestern.edu.

Augmented Reality: Rise of the mobile or hype?

By Johnny Schroepfer

Last summer I came across an iPhone 3GS application called Layar, the first mobile augmented reality application. While the actual development of the app was still in beta testing, the concept was impressive and the potential possibilities it offered brands was interesting.

Augmented reality (AR) uses a mobile phone’s camera feed to merge your physical real-world environment with virtual computer generated imagery.

With emerging technology like AR, brands have a whole new area of customer contact points to take advantage of. Imagine walking down the street and launching Layar on your Smartphone to locate the nearest Target, Starbucks or even a historical landmark.

With the use of technology like AR, consumers have the ability to easily seek-out physical locations from their mobile device while brands have the opportunity to deliver location-based messages and incentives.

This year we will begin to see a significant increase in app funding and development within the mobile industry. Augmented reality will play a major part in the rise of mobile technology. But, will these technologies be embraced, or rejected, by major brands and consumers?

So, is this the true year of the mobile?

***

Johnny Schroepfer is the strategy & content director at Vitamin IMC and a student in the Masters in Integrated Marketing Communications program at Northwestern University's Medill School. He is a Chicago Bulls fanatic and is looking forward to another exciting Bulls playoff run. He can be reached at johnnyschroepfer@u.northwestern.edu