If you saw the film Minority Report and thought that the very personal, invasion-based advertising it depicted was very far fetched, then you are in for a surprise… personalised, location-based, time-sensitive marketing is here (well, at least if you are in the US) today.
The difference is that the real implementations are opt-in and, so far at least, seem to be making both businesses and consumers happy.
The promotions are delivered through a new breed of mobile apps that combine verified location with a paid offer. It is an evolution of location sharing apps like Foursquare and, in general, the consumer pays for the promotion up front – for example pay $20 for $50 worth of food and drink at a restaurant near you.
This article gives an overview of some of the leading apps in the space. For now, Foursquare lets businesses list and place specials outside the US, although their wait time to post these specials is pretty long. The main special offer apps are only available in the US at the moment, but it won’t be long before they are coming to a store near you in Australia and elsewhere.
{ 0 comments }
