I’m lovin’ it: Mcdonalds wins big with Foursquare
Posted by Luc in 
In late summer 2009, a girl who lived above me was telling me about her Twitter account and how much fun she was having with it. She told Twitter was here to stay, and that once everyone settled into the mass updating service, they would increase their social media with a nifty geo-based website called Foursquare. She said it would be the hottest thing of 2010. I balked, saying people could never be convinced to reveal their location. And now, thanks to Mcdonald’s latest successful campaign, I’m finally admitting that I may have been wrong.
Mcdonald’s road to Social Media success first caught some attention in 2007, when they launched a campaign online to have users create their own ads for a Honey Mustard Snack Wrap. Then, in 2009, they purchased Wayport, a prolific wifi company, to provide wireless free internet at all its locations (something I didn’t even know until the other day), which almost coincided with the fast food giant trying to break into the coffee industry by offering specialized caffeine drinks.
And then just a few weeks ago, Mcdonald’s increased their Foursquare Check-ins by 33% in just one day. And although check-ins don’t necessarily mean purchases, it definitely means foot traffic to their various locations. They accomplished this by announcing they would be offering a limited amount of $5 and $10 coupons to their customers who checked-in using foursquare, and the tactic may have set a standard for big chains using geo-location media. Heck, it could set a precedent for the whole advertising industry, which spends countless Billions every year on attracting customers.
The cost of such a potential industry crushing experiment? A measly $1,000 (the cost of the coupons).
And with that, Mcdonald’s has successfully integrated the latest Social Media software into new (or returning customers). I guess my former neighbor wasn’t so crazy after all. You could almost say she was Lovin’ It before I even knew about it.
Be sure to check out Mashable’s reaction.
Friday Morning News
It’s Friday, and most web traffic will be virtually gone by about 1:30pm. So here’s the latest Social Media news to keep you entertained.
Foursquare – Foursquare has unveiled it’s College/University program, which basically allows students to share notes and information about classes, as well as reward them with badges for being at the library and such. It’s only available at 20 schools in the States for now, but a new school page can be added easily by any student who signs up. Is it me, or does this seem to come about 3-4 weeks too late?
iPad – Katy Huberty from Morgan Stanley is claiming that the iPad is partially to blame for the mass decline in labtop sales over the past half year. Of course, her data is based on a study of American consumers, and there are other tablets out there not made by Apple. But one has to wonder whether this means consumers are simply over the notebook, or if they are waiting to see if tablets will take off before making their next purchase. Full Article Here from Fortune.
The Fighter – Movie coming out in December featuring Mark Wahlberg as a washed out boxer and Christian Bale as his over-emphatic half brother. Now before you call this the most original movie concept ever, watch the trailer which reveals the entire plot.
See you Monday.
The Little Social Medialite that could
The power of Social Media is an untapped resource with unlimited potential. For the past few years, people have begun to wonder just how much strength one individual can draw from a few simple posts. With Twitter rising exponentially in the ranks, new precedent setting cases are surfacing of every day people voicing their unhappiness via their tweets, and actually getting a response.
Meet Breanna Hughes, an ambitious Social Medialite and dating blogger who has seemingly conquered all the latest mediums. According to her Twitter she is even mayor of a few locations on Foursquare and has over 3,600 followers.
A few weeks ago, Breanna made a trip down to the States, and was outraged at the length of her cell phone bill upon her return. She had not expected to be charged so harshly for twittering and texting while down South, and she voiced her frustrations on Twitter along with a photo of her bill. Within a day, she was contacted by Rogers (her cell phone provider) via some tweets, and was given the contact info for a department that eventually adjusted her bill. Her case garnered serious attention in Toronto, and her story was featured in The National Post.
Could this symbolize a new era in the field of Public Relations? There have been other similar cases in the past where companies dealt with complaints made via Social Media, but Hughes actually managed to get her bill changed. And with that victory, it can only be left to wonder how soon will be before we no longer need customer supports phone lines to voice our concerns?