New DBS Facebook Campaign Encourages Check-Ins, Gives Deals

Singaporean bank DBS is seriously pushing forward its social media efforts with a massive Facebook Places and check-in deals competition that encompasses its customers in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei, Jakarta, and Mumbai.

The social media campaign invites DBS users to check-in to certain ‘DBS places’ to earn points and unlock surprise deals that the bank has arranged with stores and venues. The user in each country who has amassed the most points by the time the campaign closes – on September 5th – will each win a trip to one of six Asian countries.

Most of the action happens in the Places section of your smartphone’s Facebook app (pictured below).

Explaining how it works to Penn Olson, the DBS VP of marketing, Christopher Ng, says:

We have an extensive list of merchant partners from the five Asian cities that DBS is present in. Examples of deals for Singapore include Sour Sally, Klapson and Spinelli. Users can check DBS Places for the closest deal to them and the most current deals available in their cities.

Checking-in to a 'DBS Place' in the Facebook iPhone app.

The location and check-in element will be familiar to those in the five participating cities who use various LBS such as Foursquare, or the recently launched Menoo which we reviewed yesterday.

DBS will be hoping that this boosts the number of ‘likes’ of their corporate Facebook page, which has already jumped up a few thousand since the campaign started earlier this week. Now the DBS Facebook page has just over 8,000 followers.

The competition highlights that a Facebook page – and possibly a promo as well – is now an integral part of a new ad campaign or branding exercise. DBS’ Christopher Ng adds:

Having fans on Facebook is encouraging as it is an indication that they are interested in the organization … However, what is more important is the quality of the engagement. As an organization, we’re constantly looking at how we can better engage our customers on this new media, whether it’s via friendly exchanges on the wall or through interactive Facebook components.