Location-Based Genius

I came across this today and I had to write about it. As a group, the social media team at Horizon is constantly contemplating new and exciting ways to leverage location-based initiatives for our clients. Simply creating a remote local through Foursquare to have people check-in to doesn't really cut it. Being creative is top of mind, and the above activation really caught my eye
Imagine a location-based app that downloads and streams a new album release only in a specific stretch of land. Anywhere outside of that stretch, and you couldn't download it. This does two very important thing, crucial in any social marketing execution. First, it creates exclusivity and and drives social sharing and word-of-mouth buzz and awareness through the "cool factor", and second, it is truly interactive - encouraging users to remain engaged throughout the process.

According to Bluebrain band member Ryan Holladay, "The music changes and evolves based on your chosen path within the park." The Park is a mall in D.C., which they tagged with music hot spots. By following the virtual map on the application, you could hit different locations, and download different songs on the album. The experience literally changes the more you wander around. Landmarks such as the Lincoln Memorial will trigger a new song, and evolve your experience in real-time.

What's even more interesting is that this application only works in the The Mall. Nowhere else. You cannot download it online or through iTunes. It lives exclusively in that location and the music was written to compliment the live experience of walking around and enjoying the surroundings.

What this means for marketers such as myself is clear; I have to step up my game. The beauty of the myriad socially-integrated tools such as location-based apps is that there is no limit to the potential user experience you can create on behalf of your brands.