Finding My Place on FourSquare

May 26th, 2010

I just earned my Super Mayor badge. Don’t worry Mayor Morrissey, I don’t expect a key to the city. I’m talking about FourSquare. Location-based mobile services like FourSquare are breaking down barriers between the physical and the virtual by combining social networking with global positioning and a dash of game mechanics to give customers and businesses a new way to interact.

About FourSquare

I signed up a month ago to see what the buzz was about. Here’s how it works. After getting a free account at the FourSquare  website, I installed the iPhone app. Apps are also available for other mobile devices like Blackberry, Android and Palm phones. FourSquare scans my contact list, Facebook friends and Twitter followers to see which of my friends are already using FourSquare. Then, whenever I go someplace, I “check in” on my iPhone. My location gets sent to my FourSquare friends, and if I want, to Facebook and Twitter. I earn points for each time I check in. With enough points, I collect badges for and can become the “mayor” of the places where I check in the most. What’s more, I get a message whenever one of my friends checks in, so if we’re close by we can get together in person … a novel concept these days.

Helping Businesses Engage Customers

The geo-positioning aspect of FourSquare also presents a unique opportunity for businesses to engage nearby customers. FourSquare lets businesses (or their managers) apply as the owner of a location. Once approved, owners can then create specials, discounts and prizes for loyal customers and “mayors” who check in at their venue. Owners can track the success of their special offer with FourSquare’s free analytics tool.

Starbucks has been quick to adopt FourSquare, by offering the “Barista Badge,” for users who check in to five separate Starbucks shops. The coffee company also offers a $1-off coupon to “Mayors,” of a Starbucks location. So find me on FourSquare if you want to meet at the Starbucks on Perryville, where I’m the mayor, and we’ll have a $1-off frappuccino.

Chris Kelley

Chris Kelley

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , ,
Posted in KMK Media Blog |

Name Choice Influences Brand

May 20th, 2010

It can be difficult to determine what a company name says about the brand it creates. How will the public perceive the company and brand offering based on the name.

Many local companies have names that outline what their service offerings used to be, not what they are today. Although some companies have stayed the same, most grow with the time. For instance, a company that used to offer only plumbing services may have expanded the business to include heating and cooling services as well. But should they change their name from XYZ Plumbing? What if people don’t recognize them as the same company?

Often businesses worry about changing their name because they think they may lose brand recognition. In some cases this is true, in others this is not the case. But a name can also hold your brand back if you have expanded your product or service offerings.

Looking at how national brands have changed their names over time is not only interesting, but can help as an example for local businesses and organizations.

Here is an interesting article from BrandWeek on the topic:

One Name, One Brand—One Potentially Deadly Idea

Mary Grimborg

  • Share/Bookmark

Posted in KMK Media Blog |

Augmented Reality – Hype or Break-Through?

May 18th, 2010

When I was judging the National Student Advertising Competition last month, a few teams included “augmented reality” in their plans. This technology allows the user to, for example, hold a “glyph” in front of their web cams and manipulate the objects and scenes they see on their monitors.

There’s a lot more to the technology and its uses, and some in the ad world are calling it too “gimmicky” to be of true value to a brand. But it does present some interesting applications, particularly for marketers selling a product or companies (such as restaurants or hotels) that are very location-driven. Click here to review some of the ones called out in a piece in Ad Age.

Cindy Harris

  • Share/Bookmark

Posted in KMK Media Blog |