Those of you that spend a decent amount of time on the internet will known that a new mobile app called Pokemon Go has taken the world by storm. Pokemon Go is a free augmented reality game available on Android and Apple mobile devices. The Pokemon franchise has been around for 20 years, and many fans feel a deep emotional connection to these fictional creatures. This connection is part of the breakout success of Pokemon Go.
The game is so popular that it has boosted Nintendo’s market value by $7.5 billion USD. In the past week since its release, the app has garnered between 10-50 million downloads from the Google Play Store and is expected to surpass daily Android users of Twitter.
But what about the retention value? SimilarWeb reports that over 60% of the app’s users are Daily Active Users and are interacting with the app for an average of 43 minutes a day, more than Instagram, Snapchat and Messenger.
The app is so popular that dozens of users have been reported flocking to PokeStops (flagged locations that let users collect items that help them catch more Pokemon), bringing new foot traffic to these locations. Some locations have seen as many as 2,000 players all meet up at the same time.
Many small and local businesses have already taken advantage of Pokemon Go’s popularity. Businesses located at or near Pokestops can purchase lure modules and attach them to PokeStops make more Pokemon show up and incentivize players to come out to catch those Pokemon.
Many small and local businesses have already taken advantage of Pokemon Go’s popularity. Businesses located at or near Pokestops can purchase lure modules and attach them to PokeStops make more Pokemon show up and incentivize players to come out to catch those Pokemon.
These lure modules are incredibly cost effective. They only cost a little bit over a dollar per hour, and businesses have reported seeing anywhere from 10-70% more customers from the investment. Many internet users have reported wanting to stay at a business longer because of the lure, and buying more of their product while they wait.
Sean Cockburn, Salt Lake City user of Pokemon Go, said “Sono Sushi Express is putting out 3 Pokemon lures on the poke-stops that are all accessible if you are inside the restaurant. I saw a low of 30 people outside and a high of 100. I was there for 90 min and caught 80 Pokemon.” A week before, this restaurant would see around 20-30 people during peak lunch and dinner hours, often remaining empty during slower hours.
Another user located in Columbus said “I was at a coffee shop yesterday about to leave when a lure went up on the pokestop there. It kept me there for the next half hour and I bought another drink for the wait.”
Online retailers and sellers on online platforms like Etsy are also taking advantage of this surge. There are already over 2,000 results on Etsy for Pokemon Go related merchandise. Some sellers that would have gotten maybe a dozen views in a day are now getting thousands.
Triple Point PR, the PR firm that represents Pokemon, put a Pokemon Easter Egg on their website once they heard of the app’s incredible success. Being associated with such a powerful social phenomenon makes them look like the ultimate video game pr firm, and anyone in their industry will now see them as the go to PR firm.
So what can you learn from this experience? Whether you are a brick and mortar seller, an online vendor, or some combination of both, there are several practices in play here that have led to this social phenomenon.
1. Building a brand takes time
The Pokemon franchise has been around for 20 years. At the time, many people thought it was just another fad that would die out in a couple of months. Instead, the franchise expanded to include a card game, several manga series, television shows, and dozens more games over the years. Over the last two decades, Pokemon has become a recognizable brand, even to those who never played the game.
Without all of the history and nostalgia attached to the franchise, Pokemon Go never would have reached this level of popularity. But they built on something that naturally came about and the results were incredible.
Implementing the strategy:
Industry giants don’t grow overnight. Instead, with patience and a business plan, they work to establish themselves as experts in their niche and work to form connections with their audience.
Pokemon is so successful because it nurtured the emotional connection that its true audience felt with the games and the television shows. When individuals feel like a brand or a company gets them or has bonded with them, they’re more likely to feel a connection to that brand. When customers have a reason to care, they’re more likely to pay attention the things that make them feel that way than to a product or service that serves a purpose but doesn’t make them feel anything.
Find out what your audience resonates with, see what they like about your product or service and use that to build your brand. Work on forming emotional connections and the sales will follow.
2. Being responsive to current events makes your business look smart
Pokemon Go has only been out for a week and businesses are already profiting off of its success. However, had they not been aware of the trend, monitoring the news and listening to hearsay from friends and customers, they would not know what changes to make to bring in more customers.
Users of the app are incredibly pleased with the businesses that have recognized the app’s success and want to patronize those businesses. When businesses use the app to connect with their audience, customers feel like those businesses share their values. This kind of personal bond helps customers relate to the business more, making them more likely to support that business. Several Reddit users have started a thread on the phenomenon, and many of them are partial to the businesses that have bought into the Pokemon craze.
Implementing the strategy:
Make sure you read the news and stay up to date with social trends, pop culture, and advancements in other industries that pertain to your business. When you notice something becoming popular, think of ways your business can tap into that popularity. You don’t have to implement a new marketing strategy for every single pop culture craze (that would be impossible), but it makes sense to try it out when it aligns with your business values.
3. Bonding with customers over their passions builds great reputation
Some people seem to think that this sudden surge of Pokemon Go users is a fad and will die out in a few months, if not weeks. However, many people grew up with Pokemon and have a deep emotional connection to the franchise. People connect through the game, making friends while playing and strategizing on how to get ahead.
Other people aren’t the only ones that benefit from bonding over shared passions. While the relationship between people and companies is naturally different from those formed with other people, potential customers are more likely to be loyal to a company that they feel understands them, even when that sometimes means paying a little bit extra.
CitySen in Grand Rapids, Michigan, put up a sign on the sidewalk indicating their preference of a particular team in the game that brought in a lot of customers walking around outside the restaurant.
Implementing the strategy:
Find out what your target audience loves. Maybe they aren’t super into Pokemon, but they love the latest season of Supernatural. Once you know what they resonate with, find a way to connect with your audience over it. Consider offering discounts to customers that show you that they are a fan, or even use social media to show that your business loves the same thing.
4. Finding ways to be creative appeals to new audiences
Businesses that have nothing to do with Pokemon are finding ways to tie into the app’s success. Iconoclad, a small consignment store in Salt Lake City, posted this sign in front of their store and received a ton of unexpected PR for it. They were featured on Forbes, made it to the front page of Reddit, and were written about on Buzzfeed and consequently received an uptick in business because of it.
Implementing the strategy:
This kind of creativity works best when you use it to bond with your audience. Use your social media presence to brand your company as an avid lover of Parks and Rec or the latest Fallout Game. Put little Easter Eggs on your website, or even make a reference to what your audience loves. Make sure you don’t lose sight of your voice when you think of ways to creatively reach out to a new audience.
5. It pays to hype your products
Nintendo has product hype down to a science. They gave a sneak peek into the idea of what Pokemon Go would be like with their April Fool’s of 2014, where Google Maps users could find Pokemon all over the world. Nintendo released the teaser trailer in September 2015 and the fandom has been waiting with bated breath ever since. This anticipation helped users get excited for the release and download the app as soon as it was available.
Implementing the strategy:
If you know that you’re going to release a new product or service within the next year or two, start finding ways to tell your audience about it. Make an announcement in your email newsletter, send out a press release, or even put together a teaser trailer and put it on YouTube. Give your audience an estimate of when your product will hit the market and ramp up the hype the closer the release date gets.
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