No matter which mobile social network you use, the 'check-in' is still the main action of communication among communities and brands. This format is perfect for small and large businesses that want to provide valuable deals to users who check into their stores. For non-retail brands, it has presented an issue.
How do you pull the positive brand attitude associated with checking-in when you do not have a physical structure for customers to check into?
The reason I love ad agencies, more often than not, they solve issues that the publisher can’t fix OR is not focused on addressing. In the case of entertainment brands, figuring out how to leverage the social check-in when promoting the next blockbuster or record release was a must. Well this past week, it seems UK record company Polydor Records has done just this, by creating a campaign that uses Facebook Places to promote the release of two different artists, N*E*R*D and Cheryl Cole.
As with any new release, Polydor placed posters advertising the artists throughout the UK. The one difference is the ad has a message asking consumers to check-in to the poster for a chance to win. Prizes ranged from concert tickets to T-Shirts and Shoes from Pharrell’s Billionaire Boy Club label.
You may be asking why the record company chose to use Facebook Places — whose advertising efforts have been minimum to date — instead of Foursquare or Gowalla. The answer is actually pretty simple: penetration. Foursquare and Gowalla are two new startups that just don’t have as big a footprint outside North America. While Facebook Places fights for exposure in the US, the push around the rest of the globe has been much easier. Lastly, knowing the message does not just die with the person who has checked in, but is also broadcast to the users social network of friends creates a win-win situation for Polydor.
