Refinery Media Scores Coup With Foursquare Deal

Refinery Media, has just scored a coup by being the first company in Asia to partner location based social networking application, Foursquare, for the second season of its multi platform reality based entertainment program, SUPERMODELME.

Foursquare was launched in March 2009 by Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai. It is a location – based app which has been developed for the iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Palm. Users “check in” at the various places of interest and are motivated to explore the area based on the recommendations that other users have left behind. Moreover, users are also highlighted to their friends’ whereabouts and this therefore prompts them to leave their comfort zone to explore other areas within the city. Furthermore, Foursquare accounts can be synced to their Facebook and Twitter accounts which are updated when a check – in is registered.

Repeated check – ins enable users to earn virtual badges and users who rack up the most number of check – ins will be crowned as “Mayors”. The game element remains a huge hit with most users and there is additional incentive to become “Mayors” as they are offered special deals by the participating stores.

Advent Of Foursquare

Foursquare might be a relatively young company, but they’ve been making waves in the mobile app scene with their ability to form partnerships with major brands which include Conde Nast, Marc Jacobs, the New York Times and Zagat amongst others. What’s more is that even Planet Hollywood has embraced Foursquare with Miracle Mile Shops at the Planet Hollywood Hotel in Las Vegas launching the app.

What’s more is that online users are responding extremely positively to Foursquare with them announcing in February of an approximate threefold increase in the number of check – ins in the 2 months between December 2009 and February 2010. Numerically, this means that the number of Foursquare users has grown exponentially from 600, 000 check – ins per week in December 2009 to over a million check – ins per week in February 2010.

Significance Of Deal To Refinery Media

As such, the most important significance of the partnership between Refinery Media and Foursquare lies in its ability to bring SUPERMODELME to an even wider audience. This therefore increases the show’s profile and the advertising value amongst their advertisers.

Also, this deal enables the opening up of another dimension of user engagement for both the show producers as well as advertisers.

This collaboration will feature tips and to – dos by the contestants and celebrity judges of the show therefore turning them into content creators whom fans can follow and interact with. From the producers perspective, this is advantageous as audiences are able to create a dialogue between themselves and the on – screen individuals thereby creating a sort of “merger” between the online and offline worlds.

For advertisers, this tie – in is beneficial in terms of heightening brand awareness. Instant brand visibility will be created by highlighting the user to the brand whenever they check in at a location near to the advertiser’s venue.

Staying true to the fashion world theme of the show, users will be tasked to check – in at specific locations in order to unlock badges aptly named “Superstyle” and “Superconnected”. Unlocking these badges gives them exclusive partner promotions on the spot and takes them one step closer to a ticket to the SUPERMODELME finale.