Gotta catch ‘em all? Since its release, Pokemon Go has reached over 30 million downloads worldwide, with over 11 million downloads in the US alone. Aside from breaking records as the most downloaded app within 7 days, the Nintendo game has sparked a contagious Pokemon fever, spreading through the nation one iPhone and Android at a time.
With this timely frenzy, it’s no surprise that brands and retailers alike are looking to capitalize on this trend and incorporate it into their marketing efforts. But how does one use this game as a tool? The easiest way is to purchase a “lure” for 10 dollars—these attract Pokemon to wherever the lure is placed for about 30 minutes. A manager at L’inizio Pizza Bar in Long Island City, Queens, told the NY Post that over the course of one weekend his shop saw a 75% increase in sales, just by attracting Pokemon and “trainers” (players of the game). It certainly makes sense: if trainers are out all day catching Pokemon there’s no time to stop home and feed themselves. The smell of pizza alone was probably enough to get them to stop for a slice.
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<em>A sign outside of L'inzio Pizza Bar enticing Pokemon trainers</em></p>
In addition to lures, other retailers are offering discounts to successful trainers that have caught Pokémon in their stores, and a café in Pennsylvania even offered a 10% discount to people just for having the app on their phone. Doughnut Plant in NYC used Facebook to promote their “Pokeseed” doughnut, while also emphasizing the fact that two of their locations are PokeStops (where trainers can get free pokeballs), and one is a gym (where trainers can battle other trainers with their Pokémon). With the upcoming launch in Japan, McDonald’s will be the first paying sponsor of the game by making 3,000 of its locations gyms.

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However, with all the good it’s done for businesses that’s not to say using Pokémon Go as a marketing tool doesn’t come with some challenges. Some retailers have complained that these “trainers” have interrupted regular shoppers by blocking space without any awareness of their surroundings. The trick is to offer an incentive—if a retailer has Pokémon in their store then great, but it’s important to get trainers to stop playing the game and actually buy something. Formulating a solid plan of rewarding players for entering their location has thus far been proven successful, as well as incorporating Pokemon-themed food and merchandise. Brands should take note of these retailers, and use the advantages of this craze while it lasts.

Happy hunting--for trainers, that is.