What is Pokémon Go?
Pokémon Go is the new augmented reality put a link to an article about augmented app that’s taken the world by storm. In simple terms, it’s a real life treasure hunt where you can see the streets in front of you through your phone and you can hunt down and catch Pokémon. It lets you see ahead on your map where various Pokémon and ‘stops’ are so you can physically go there to ‘catch ‘em all’.
How does it work?
Whether you’re a lover or a hater of Pokémon Go, you can’t deny that it’s impressive! It has been our first big introduction into augmented reality. AR takes a number of our sensory information and digitalises it; basically, we can look into our phones and see, hear and react to the world around us being enhanced & digitalised through our screens.
How can SME’s be involved?
Believe it or not, you really don’t have to be directly involved in the trend to market yourself through it. It’s all about thinking ‘outside the box’ and letting your creative juices flow. Check the news, find popular media pages and check out trending hashtags! What’s popular and how can you relate it to your business? It’s a bit like solving a puzzle.
GMP Salford East created this fantastic post which, as you can see, did extremely well on Facebook. (The link goes to the most wanted page!)
Or check out Arriva who have introduced Pokémon tours to speed up people’s hunts with free wifi and USB chargers on the bus!
Or take this zookeeper who got tired of people coming to the zoo for Pokémon over the animals so changed the information boards into Pokémon Go themed signs to catch visitors attention!
Our very own Jo also gave a talk for the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce about Pokémon Go last week, and we had the job of hiding printed Pokémon around the room for people to get up and find in exchange for a free social media review!
Bring people to you
You may have heard people talking about ‘lures’. ‘What is it?!’ I hear you cry! A lure is literally something you plant in the Pokémon Go app which will attract Pokémon to that area… and by attracting Pokémon it ultimately means attracting people.
Maybe you’re in a tiny office building and you don’t really want people turning up at your doorstep? Well start thinking, where else would it be useful for you to have a load of people come? Could you stage an event to show off your skills and gets lots of Pokémon lovers there? What could make you stand out? Have fun with it!
Maybe you’re a construction company and you could take a JCB on the road to hunt Pokémon? Get a picture of you scooping them up? The possibilities are endless.
Isn’t it just for kids?
A survey checked on 14th July 2016 estimated a whopping 41.2% were 25 and over. And when you think about how many people are playing it, that’s an awful lot of 25 and over’s!
So get your thinking caps on! Whether it’s how you’ll poach a Pikachu or where to lure with a lure… Using current trends to market yourself is easier than you think!
Happy hunting,
Thea x
