How Franchise Brands Can Tap Into The Viral Success of Pokemon Go

In today’s technology driven society, it’s not uncommon to see people walking down the street glued to their smartphones to send an email or check their Facebook feed. But for the past week, consumers have been relying on their devices for a different reason: Pokémon Go.

The game’s popularity has exploded among consumers. Pokémon Go was officially launched in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand on July 6. By the next day, it had already been installed on more Android phones than Tinder, according to Similar Web. It’s also rivaling major social media apps like Twitter in its number of daily users.

The concept behind Pokémon Go is simple—it places the digital game in real world settings using GPS and an algorithm. Players have to physically hunt for Pokémon, and then attempt to catch them with Pokéballs. When users capture the same types of creatures, they get food to feed their Pokémon to make them more powerful. Those powerful characters then battle one another at real world locations, including the fountain on the White House’s North Lawn.

Pokémon Go’s viral success hasn’t gone unnoticed by major players in the franchising industry. By capitalizing on the game’s increasing number of users, brands have the ability to get more customers into their stores, ultimately boosting their bottom lines. One brand that’s already successfully tapping into the Pokémon Go craze is Philly Pretzel Factory. The brand is offering a $10 gift card to anyone that posts a photo with a Pokémon in their store or with their logo and tags them.

It’s not long before other major chains leverage the hype surrounding Pokémon Go. In an interview with Nation’s Restaurant News, Ryan Groff, social media marketing director for MGH, said, “They’ve found a way to get consumers to actually do something. And they’re doing it in droves. Once the developers start talking to advertisers, you’re going to see a world of marketing possibilities open u in-game ads; specials for visiting locations’ competitor targeting.”