PlacePop Takes Loyalty Mobile

US start-up PlacePop has unveiled an iPhone app and platform that enables companies to move card-based loyalty and affinity programs to mobile phones. PlacePop lets consumers collect and store ‘virtual loyalty cards’ for every business they visit on their mobile phone.

PlacePop says the app was designed based on extensive feedback from chief marketing officers of major retailers and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, who identified three key requirements for their mobile loyalty/affinity programs.

The first was to eliminate the need to retrain customers familiar with traditional loyalty and affinity card concepts. The second was to leverage social features, such as integrating with Facebook and Twitter, while allowing group buying features. The third was to maintain brand integrity, and program control, by allowing the flexibility to execute, test and revise multiple mobile marketing loyalty and affinity concepts

“Why keep your loyalty card program limited to dog-eared paper cards or piles of swipe cards that sit in consumers wallets and purses, mixed up with who knows what?” asks PlacePop CEO, Kent Lindstrom. “Today, 52m US consumers are carrying their smartphones everywhere, including into their favourite retailers and restaurants. This creates a unique opportunity to build a virtual loyalty card program that’s more intelligent, more effective and easier to use.”

PlacePop says it is focused on building a mobile, web-based affinity marketing platform for brands and businesses, combined with an engaging and useful location-based social app for consumers.

You can see a video demo of PlacePop in action here.