After launching a long stream of impressive partnerships with national brands, SCVNGR is starting to put the “local” back in location based. Today, it announced Boston would be the first city to reap the benefit of its new reward functionality (announced last month). 50 local businesses are included in the launch including Middle East, Kings Lanes, and Aquitaine in both Boston and Chestnut Hill.
The announcement comes just days after it announced Zipcar would utilize the feature in Boston and that AT&T shook hands with them to offer rewards to its customers in the Midwest. The rewards feature, the coolest of the those announced last month by the company, enables players to unlock rewards by accumulating points through various games at locations. All you need to do is show the reward in the SCVNGR app on your phone and voila! Get free goodies galore!
How will you know the local businesses that have rewards on SCVNGR? Well, you can see a full list here, or just roam around the city with your eyes open. Each business involved will apparently have ‘sweet SCVNGR shwag’ – from stickers, to outdoor signage, even coasters for your drinks.
Consider you are at a new restaurant:
Check in: 1 pt.
Social Check-in (bump phones to show your there with friends): 2pts
Snap a photo: 2 pts.
Now you have 5 pts and can unlock a reward for say $5 off your bill
The local rewards program comes in the wake of a long line of big name partners including Journeys (shoe retailer), Showtime (Dexter), and our very own Patriot Place out in Foxboro. And the big brand strategy has been a far cry from the direct to consumer and hyper-local approach others have taken in SCVNGR’s noisy space.
“Of course we love seeing our growing brand next to a big name like AT&T,” said CEO Seth Seth Priebatsch, “and the partnerships have been a great way for us to get attention.”
Attention- sure… But we were wondering… isn’t location-based all about local, and the places people walk to and from their work or homes? SCVNGR has long said that they were attacking both strategies simultaneously with massive brands helping to build awareness, and using that awareness to develop a city-by-city approach.
A local partnership with Zipcar was a good place to start and the Boston rewards program is a great follow up that shows they are off the ground with their local strategy. And with enterprise products staring at just $80 per month for small businesses we should expect to see 50 double pretty quickly.
Have you used SCVNGR? Will rewards make you more likely to play?
Check out some of rewards that launch today:
Hey rockstar, snap a photo of the artist or band performing at Middle East restaurant and nightclub- score 20% off your meal
- I scream, you scream, we all love free ice cream! Embark on a taste bud adventure by heading to Toscanini’s and naming the ingredients you would use for a new frozen treat – get a free super scoop of ice cream!
- Design your ideal 3 course menu at Aquitaine Boston and Aquitaine Chestnut Hill– buy the Plate du Jour for yourself and get one for your friend half-off
- Snap a pic of your best bowling victory pose at Kings Lanes bowling lanes – buy one get one free tickets
- Head to Lir restaurant and pick what you think is the most under-rated drink on the menu – snag a free (non-alcoholic) drink
- Snap a pig-ture of your favorite piece of porcine art on the walls at Whiskey’s Smokehouse – free nachos, nom nom!
- Rename one of the menu items at Middlesex Lounge after a song title or artist (can we say Bri-ce Springsteen sandwich?) – free chips & dip
To find out more about SCVNGR, visit their website, “like” them on Facebook, and follow them or Twitter.
