Supermarket chain The Co-operative Group has signed up to O2 Media’s You are Here location-based marketing service.

Between 4 May and 11 June, O2 customers who have opted in to O2 More’s permission-based marketing scheme, and who find themselves within half a mile of a Co-operative Food store will receive a text message offering them a free 500ml bottle of Dr Pepper. 

You are Here uses ‘geo-fences’ which are set up around a particular location. As soon as a target customer enters the area marked by the geo-fence, they automatically receive an SMS or MMS with the offer. They then simply show the message at the till in the nearest store to redeem the deal.

“The Co-operative is keen to make use of cutting-edge technologies, and mobile proximity marketing means we can target customers with specific offers and engage with them directly,” says Sean Toal, commercial director for The Co-operative Food. “The Co-operative has almost 3,000 stores nationwide, many of which are at the heart of local communities and on high streets, which makes this initiative and technology ideal for us as a community retailer.”