Pokémon: The next PPC

How can it be next PPC?

By now each of us is aware how Pokémon has virtually taken over the world in no time. Everyone including someone not actually fond of playing games like me is obsessed with Pokémon. It has made me visit beautiful streets in my locality I had never even bothered about. We have got some purpose to have a stroll after dinner afterall. But you definitely need to follow health tips before you go out in search for little digital monsters, worldwide known as Pokémon. Anyway some useful tips are always use a nickname that cannot be used to identify you in real life, to beware of phishing apps that look like official Pokémon merchandise, be mindful of the weather and heat-stroke when out catching Pokémon, carry an extra battery, carry a phone card, and of course, not to enter dangerous areas or meet with random people and never ever try to barge into neighbour’s home...LOL:)

Pokémon Go has only been out for a couple of weeks, and already, there are innumerable stories about people being in trouble in the hunt for more Pokémon. So, be careful when you’re out on Pokémon hunt.

How does it work?

The free game app (it’s free at the cost of your private information) uses your phone’s GPS and camera to turn the real world into a digitally augmented world be filled with wild Pokémon. After installing the game app, players also called “trainers”, start roaming around without any purpose through locality including busy roads and prohibited areas to local public in search of little digital monsters (Pokémon).

You use the map on your smartphone to navigate, and as soon as a Pokémon is nearby your phone starts buzzing. When you walk closer to Pokémon, the screen on your smartphone, with the help of your phone’s camera, flashes the digitally created monster onto the physical world. The monster is fixed on a given position, you just need to move the camera to catch it.  

The game also has places called “PokéStops” and “Gyms”.

• PokéStops : These are places that allow you to collect items such as eggs and more Pokéballs to capture more Pokemon! So at PokéStops users can stock accessories and tools required in the game

• Gyms :  These places are only visible to those who go looking for Pokémon where users go to train their captured Pokémon and make them fight against other players

What's in it for Brands?

Without beating around the bush, lets come to the point!

Just Imagine, McDonald's buying Poke Gyms will definitely increase footfalls in the its restaurant because players will anyway come chasing Gyms. So don’t get blown away if you see something like McdonaldGym.

Another very crucial feature of the game I just forgot to tell you is “Lures”. It allows users to drop a “Lure” module at a mentioned PokéStop and in turn it makes Pokémon spawn at a faster pace than normal for 20-30 minutes.

Now add this point to your imagination too. McDonald's buying “Lures” and dropping them just outside its entrance. Again it will attract more players come chasing their Pokémon. Hence, it will increase number of footfalls in McDonald.

.....and here is our next PPC

So far I have just talked about McDonald. Now just think about competition between businesses across all types in the market for a moment. Wouldn't all of them want to drop more Lures at their entrances to attract more crowd??

Interestingly, this will make businesses fight against each other through may be something like bidding process as they do in PPC.

At present, it's certainly difficult to imagine a world like this. But looking at the feasibility of how augmented reality can go beyond just being in the video games, this kind of alternate to PPC for sure can’t be ruled out. Well this could be the next counterpart of google PPC has absolutely given gaming-world the confidence to build a future with more stuff like Pokémon.