A brief look at how brands use iPhone apps todayLauren Mullins, Social Media Intern
Why iPhone applications?
• 21,170,000 iPhones sold (as of 2nd Quarter 2009)
• 100,000 applications in the Apple App Store (as of 11/4/2009)
• Over 2,000,000,000 downloads (as of 11/4/2009)
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About The Apps
• Apps included in this presentation are examples of brands using iPhone application platform in an innovative and/or unique way.
– Not all are successful!
• Does not include applications that are simply a mobile version of an online product.
• Examples: Yelp, Bank of America, NY Times, etc
• All applications are authentic brand applications.
– Some have been developed by 3rd party application developers.
• All applications are free unless otherwise specified.
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Types of Apps
• These applications use platforms including, but not limited to:
– Games
– Quizzes
– Ordering Systems
– Online Boutiques
– GPS Location Services
– Videos
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Categories
• For this presentation, applications have been divided into the following categories:
– Restaurants
– Clothing/Fashion
– Consumer Products
– Automotive
– Recipes/Cooking
– Travel
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RESTAURANTS
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Chipotle Ordering
• Uses GPS to find nearest Chipotle Mexican Grill.
• User can order food on their iPhone and pay with a credit card.
• Pick up food from Chipotle without waiting in line.
• Manufacturer: Chipotle, Inc.
• Average Rating: ★★★½
• Similar App: Burger King NOW (Online ordering only available in the Flushing, NY area)
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Dunkin Donuts: Dunkin Run
• Allows the user to do a “Dunkin Run” for their friends.
• App compiles orders from friends for the “runner” to fulfill.
• The “runner” logs in and starts a run by inviting friends by email address or phone number.
• The “runner” & friends import their order into the system.
• Application compiles the orders so they can be displayed on the iPhone or printed out.
• GPS locates the nearest Dunkin Donuts for the “runner” to fulfill the orders.
• Manufacturer: DD IP Holder, LLC
• Average Rating: ★★½
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Pizza Hut: Online Ordering
• Uses an ordering format similar to that of Burger King & Chipotle, but with added features.
• Order anything from the Pizza Hut menu & fully customize your order.
• All orders from the iPhone app automatically save 20%.
• Application also includes a “virtual fridge” that displays current coupons & promotions.
• Users can also play the “Hut Racer” delivery game while they wait for their order.
• Manufacturer: imc2, LLC
• Average Rating: ★★★
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Taco Bell: Why Pay More! Shaker
• Calculates what items on the Taco Bell value menu the user can purchase with their spare change.
• User types in a dollar amount and shakes.
• Application generates a list of the 79¢, 89¢, and 99¢ that can be purchased with the given amount of money.
• Uses GPS to provide the user with the location of the nearest Taco Bell.
• Not an online ordering system.
• Manufacturer: The Hyperfactory
• Average Rating: ★★★
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Starbucks: myStarbucks and Starbucks Card Mobile
• GPS locator of nearest Starbucks store.
• Create & Share your perfect Starbucks beverages.
– Facebook connectivity
• Explore Starbucks whole bean coffee & food options
• Starbucks’ other app – Starbucks Card Mobile – allows users to view/add to their card balance on the go.
• Manufacturer: Starbucks Coffee Company
• Average Rating: ★★★½ (both apps)
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CLOTHING/FASHION
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Gap Inc: Style Mixer
• Application allows user to create entire outfits using Gap products
• Outfits can be added to the “closet” or can be shared with friends via Facebook connectivity.
• View others’ outfits in the “community” tap to gain inspiration or even steal outfits.
• Use the application near a Gap store to unlock exclusive discounts.
• Manufacturer: Gap, Inc
• Average Rating: ★★
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Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karen: Fashion Collections
• View the latest collection by the specific designer.
• Collection images include ready to wear and runway couture.
• Insider content, news, etc
• GPS Store locator.
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PUMA: The PUMA Index
• Application is a stock ticker, with a twist.
• The DOW index numbers determine the clothing status of the user’s chosen male or female model.
• As the DOW numbers go down, the model’s clothes come off.
• Application can be shown to any PUMA sales associate for a 20% purchase discount.
• Manufacturer: PUMA AG
• Average Rating: ★★½
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LL Bean: Moosentration
• Twist on the classic game of concentration.
• 8 picture sets and 3 board types possible.
• Offers no promotion or incentive for LL Bean shopping.
• Manufacturer: LL Bean, Inc.
• Average Rating: ★★★
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Oakley: Surf Report
• Check surf conditions of thousands of beaches nationwide.
• Learn about what the best conditions are for a given beach.
• Find great beaches near you.
• Watch videos/Read news/Learn about pro surfing
• Manufacturer: Oakley, Inc
• Average Rating: ★★★½
• Similar App: REI’s Snow & Ski Report; The North Face Snow Report
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CONSUMER PRODUCTS
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Barclaycard: Waterslide Extreme
• Based on TV advertisement for Barclaycard.
• 9-stage waterslide racing game.
• Uses iPhone accelerometer to stear.
• User can use their own music as background music during the game.
• Manufacturer: FISHLABS
• Average Rating: ★★★
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Benjamin Moore: Ben Color Capture
• Works with iPhone camera.
• User can match a color in a photo to one of Benjamin Moore’s paint samples.
• Shake the app to generate up to 4 coordinating colors.
• Can use GPS to locate the nearest Benjamin Moore retailer.
• Manufacturer: Benjamin Moore & Co.
• Average Rating: ★★½
• Similar App: Sherwin Williams ColorSnap
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Anheuser Busch: Budweiser American Ale Finder
• Uses GPS & Maps to locate nearby pubs/restaurants/retailers of Budweiser American Ale.
• Anheuser Busch offers a similar application for Bud Lite Lime called “Bud Lite Lime Summer Hotspots.”
• Manufacturer: Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
• Average Rating: ★½
• Similar App: Guiness PubFinder
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Charmin: Sit or Squat
• Application is a bathroom finding wiki, with all content being added by its users.
• Uses GPS to find nearby restrooms.
• Provides ratings, reviews, and pictures of the toilet before you go.
• Tells you whether the location is currently open.
• Manufacturer: Densebrain
• Average Rating: ★★½
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Nike, Inc: NikeiD
• Application for NikeiD line of customized Nike products
• User can take a picture and user color matching tool to create custom color palette.
– Create shoes to match a room, outfit, picture, etc
• Create and purchase your design right from the application.
• Can search designs created by other application users.
• Manufacturer: Nike, Inc
• Average Rating: ★★½
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MasterCard: Priceless Picks
• “The world is full of priceless things.”
• Application allows users to share their favorite “priceless” places, things, and deals with the world.
• “Priceless” things can be anything from great restaurants to the best bench to view the sunset from.
• Pulls in offers/reviews and places them in ‘bubbles’ so the user knows where they are coming from.
• Uses GPS to show “priceless” things near the user.
• Manufacturer: Mastercard
• Average Rating:★★½
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Coca Cola: Happiness Factory
• Game which takes place in the “Happiness Factory” within a Coca Cola machine.
• Based on a current TV advertising campaign.
• Application is a shooting game where the user shoots “Mortar Men” from a cannon through various hoops.
• Facebook connectivity to allow users to publish high scores to their Facebook profile.
• Manufacturer: The Coca Cola Company
• Average Rating: ★★★
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Coca Cola: Magic Coke Bottle
• Shake the Magic Coke Bottle to get an answer to your question.
• The Magic Coke Bottle will generate an answer similar to a Magic 8 Ball
• Manufacturer: Welikesmall
• Average Rating: ★★★
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Kleenex: Kleenex Lotion Tissue FEEL
• Kleenex Feelspace is intended to bring the user to a more peaceful place.
• Interactive scenes include: ocean water, flower petals, snowfall, and sandpit.
• Manufacturer: ideasforiphone, LLC
• Average Rating: ★★
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Pedigree: Shake and Bark
• Record your dog’s bark.
• Assign bark to a photo of your dog. (Or select from one of the pre-recorded barks.)
• Shake the application to hear your dog bark when its picture is displayed.
• Read stories about dogs who have been rescued from animal shelters.
• Manufacturer: Mars US
• Average Rating: ★★½
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Zippo: Virtual Zippo Lighter
• Users can customize a Zippo lighter by picking a design and engraving it.
• Open and close the lighter with a flick of the wrist
• Flame reacts to wind/trying to blow it out.
• Manufacturer: Moderati Inc.
• Average Rating: ★★★
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Other Notable Consumer Products Apps
• NikeiD
• Adidas Urban Art
• Men’s Health Workouts (Also a Women’s Health edition)
• Master Card ATM Hunter
• Kodak Gallery
• HP iPrint Photo
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AUTOMOTIVE
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Audi: A4 Driving Challenge
• Application is a game about precision and performance driving.
• Not an average “pedal to the metal” driving game.
• In order to succeed, the play must master control and use the brake to avoid hitting cones or crashing.
• Manufacturer: Audi of America
• Average Rating: ★★½
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Toyota: Prius Experience
• Tour, Interact, Play, and Draw the Toyota Prius.
• Application allows users to take a tour of the 3rd generation Prius.
• Users can interact with the Prius magazine ads.
• 2 games: A force-based game and a physics-based drawing game.
• Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Sales, USA
• Average Rating: ★★★
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BMW: Z4 Experience
• Application includes 4 games:
–Driving Experience (On course driving)
–Navigation Experience (Puzzle game)
–Art Experience (Create art with the Z4)
–Free Driving
• Facebook connectivity to share scores & art
• Manufacturer: Artificial Life, Inc
• Average Rating: ★★★
• Cost: 99¢
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Volkswagen: Polo Challenge 3D
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• Driving game featuring the VW Polo
• Can use accelerometer or tap controls
• Uses GPS to direct user to nearest VW Dealer for live test-drive.
• Manufacturer: FISHLABS
• Average Rating: ★★★
Other Notable Automotive Apps
• Nissan Cube
• Nissan Murano
• GM Mobile
• Ford Flex Photo Lab
• Mercedes Benz C63 AMG
• BMW Sauber F1 Team Racing 09
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RECIPES/COOKING
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Whole Foods: Whole Foods Market Recipes
• Recipe search featuring Whole Foods-approved recipes.
• Recipes feature natural, organic, and healthy products.
• Allows user to search for recipes by course, category, dietary restrictions, or by ingredients on hand.
• Manufacturer: Whole Foods Market IP, LLC
• Average Rating: ★★★
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Betty Crocker: The Betty Crocker Mobile Cookbook
• Features Betty Crocker’s most famous recipes.
• Can search by course, meal, food type, or ingredients on hand.
• Recipes can be emailed to friends.
• Step by step recipe instructions with pictures.
• Manufacturer: General Mills, Inc
• Average Rating: ★★★
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Weber-Stephen: Weber’s On The Grill
• Includes 250+ recipes from Weber’s cookbooks including rubs, marinades, and sauces.
• Will create a grocery list for recipes
• 100+ professional grilling tips
• Reference guide for cooking times for red meat, fish, poultry, etc.
• Videos and information guides to teach user to be a better griller.
• Manufacturer: rabble+rouser, inc
• Average Rating: ★★★★
• Cost: $4.99
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Absolut: Drinkspiration
• Intelligent drink finder application
• Gives drink recommendations based on a variety of categories, including: taste, color, trends, weather, location, and bar vibe.
• Twitter and Facebook connectivity to share what you’re drinking with your friends.
• World trend list: See what is being ordered around the world.
• Download recipes from absolutdrinks.com
• Manufacturer: V and S Absolut Spiritis
• Average Rating: ★★★
• Similar App: Bacardi MixMaster
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Other Notable Recipe Apps
• Kraft iFood
• Women’s Day Magazine Cooking
• Guides By Bravo (Top Chef Recipes)
• Hidden Valley Ranch Recipes
• Al Roker’s Big Bad Book of BBQ ($15.99)
• Spam iCan
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TRAVEL
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Virgin Atlantic: Flying Without Fear
• Targeted to customers who have a fear of flying.
• Includes FAQ, relaxation techniques, fear attack solutions, in-flight experience videos.
• Based on Virgin’s longstanding “Flying without Fear” course.
• Manufacturer: Mental Workout, LLC
• Average Rating: ★★★½
• Cost: $4.99
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British Airways: BA Flights
• Up-to-date information on flight arrival and departures.
• View flight schedules and timetables on any given day.
• Manufacturer: British Airways Plc
• Average Rating: ★★★½
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Avis: Avis Reservation App
• Real-time reservation application, includes availability of specific models/categories.
• Saves user information to expedite future reservations.
• Currently works online in airport locations.
• Manufacturer: Roundarch, Inc.
• Average Rating: ★★
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Hilton Worldwide: Hilton
• Find Hilton hotels using GPS or by city, airport, or address.
• Can search other brands in the Hilton group – Conrad, Waldorf-Astoria, Homewood Suites, Doubletree, etc
• Separate apps also available for Doubletree and Hampton Inn brands.
• Manufacturer: Hilton Hotels Corporation
• Average Rating: ★★½
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Other Notable Travel Apps
• AAA Travel Deals
• Luthansa Airlines
• Lonely Planet
• Travel Channel GO
• Travelocity
• Expedia
• Hotels.com
• ChoiceHotels
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How often are these being used?
• Only about 20% of users return to use the app the day after it was downloaded.
– 30 days in, usage is at only about 5% of users.
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Usage by Category
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• Sports applications seem better at retaining use over the short-term; entertainment over long-term.
Branded Applications care about Engagement
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Conclusions
• The best applications are one that offer users a feature or service they need to use frequently or a game that keeps users engaged.
• Many applications get downloaded, used once and either deleted or forgotten about.
– Brands need to offer an incentive for users to keep the application on their phone & remember it.
• Special discounts or offers for using the application is a good incentive, especially for applications that are simple.
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