Indian businesses look to cash in on Pokemon GO rage

Chaitanya Gudipaty/Sidhartha Shuklamoneycontrol.com

The idea of companies using mobile gaming apps to promote their products was till recently restricted to displaying intrusive banner or video ads or, at best, co-opting their brands within the broad theme of the game.But the recent cultural phenomenon called Pokemon GO promises to revolutionise the way marketing activities can be undertaken.The game that lures couch surfers to leave their pads for a wild goose chase at parks, hotels, highways and coffee houses in search of characters from the eponymous cartoon series has been a huge hit worldwide -- due to the cartoon character's iconic status and the novelty factor associated with the "augmented reality" app.

The game allows mobile-toting players to fight, capture and train Pokemon characters at various places called PokeStops. A smartphone with built-in GPS and a camera is enough for anyone to jump on to the bandwagon.

To cash in on the craze, enterprising businesses have figured out a way to try and turn some of the wandering Pokemon-catchers into their customers.In countries like US, New Zealand and Australia, pubs, coffee houses and restaurants are trying to customers using ‘lure modules’ -- packs that users can purchase for a particular location, which then serves as a honeypot for Pokemons for the next 30 minutes.New York-based pizzeria L'inizio Pizza Bar saw a 75 percent jump in sales over the weekend after spending just USD 10 on ‘lure modules’.

Similarly, a restaurant in California, USA, is using Pikachu -- the iconic Pokemon character -- to promote its pastries and a gaming events outlet called ShowDown in San Francisco plans to host a party with unlimited lures modules.Indian businesses too see valueEven as Pokemon GO is yet to be released in India, it hasn't stopped gaming aficionados from downloading the file from unofficial sources and start playing.Such has been the popularity locally that youths came together to announce they were hosting a 'Pokewalk’ in Mumbai on July 23. At last count, 16,000 Facebook users had expressed an interest in going.Amul, never behind to partake in a cultural phenomenon, promptly came with a cheeky poster.This obsession with the game has not gone unnoticed by businesses. While some who sell online are offering Pokemon Go discount coupon, offline retailers are exploring the possibility of using the 'lure module' strategy to, literally, lure Pokemon-loving customers.“An entire generation of kids that has grown up watching Pokemon is an active shopper at the moment. To engage this audience in an innovative way, so as to capitalize them visiting the mall is a very interesting proposition," says Amaan Fakih, CEO – Malls at Runwal Group. "This is essentially a competitive game, and we can use this very platform of competition to give away several goodies, prizes and offers to customers.”Alagu Balaraman, MD for India operations for business consulting firm CGN India, told moneycontrol.com that the potential for success using such novel strategies is greater for "smaller outlets and for impulse categories that involve low value purchases.Others say that while such marketing strategies may result in greater footfalls, they are not sure if these will translate into revenues.“This (marketing strategies) will definitely aid footfalls. However, whether the players will take their eyes off the screen long enough to browse the collections in the store and buy something is yet to be seen,” says Landmark Group-promoted Lifestyle’s Vice-President of marketing Srinivasa Rao.

“For stores falling in the digital map of the Pokemon GO, it would make sense to have special merchandise or offers that excites the Pokemon GO Trainers community to tap into the craze and pull them in their stores,” he adds.Follow @shukla_05sid, @chytunyeah