Tech

6 Businesses That Are Milking On Pokemon GO For All Its Worth

2016-08-19 , 7:25 pm

I must really take my hat off to the marketers and business owners in Singapore who leveraged on the game that took Singapore by storm (which already feels like an understatement) to create fantastic marketing opportunities.

Finally, a game that drags every lazy Singaporean out of the house and into the streets (including me, a non-active player who chalked up maybe 20km over a few days)!

Here are some businesses whose lives (in a manner of speaking) are changed forever as the world plunges into the addiction that is Pokemon Go.

1. Shopping Malls

Almost every shopping mall in Singapore has at least one PokeStop, and I’m sure that the footfall has increased tremendously ever since Pokemon Go was launched, even without doing anything.

But ION Orchard upped their game (pun not intended this time) by introducing lures to their mall from 6 August onwards, so it’s hordes of Pokemon in town all day err day.

If you have been hiding under a rock and don’t know what are ‘lures’, it simply means that someone dropped a Lure Module (only usable at PokeStops).

After a generous player drops his or her Lure Module, it will attract Pokemon to that spot for a good 30 minutes and other PokeMasters can just camp there and reap the benefits. It will be indicated on the map with flourishing pink petals over the PokeStop.

Players can also participate in a social media contest and win a S$50 shopping voucher by uploading a screenshot of a Pokemon Go capture at ION Orchard to the mall’s Facebook and/or Instagram with the hashtag #IONgraphy.

VivoCity also happens to be a spawning ground of many rare Pokemon, such as the coveted Dratini and its evolved forms Dragonair and Dragonite. Even if you do not have luck in getting the rarer Pokemon during your trip down South, you probably could easily catch enough Magikarp to evolve into the powerful Gyrados.

Will Pokemon Go be the saviour of our local retail climate? We’ll see.

2. Car Rental Services

There are chauffeur hire services available for players to visit various Pokemon Go-related locations in the comfort of ahem, aircon. While everyone is walking around in the sweltering heat trying to catch that Snorlax, you can eng eng shake leg while sinking in the leather cushion while spinning your PokeStops and collecting coveted beasts.

It really depends on your priorities, though – personally, I would really want to cover ground to hatch eggs and for the true street PokeMaster experience.

3. F&B

While it is tough to direct traffic over without its own dedicated PokeStop, cafes and eateries can play on the shopping malls’ advantage with their lures and push out interesting promotions related to the game.

For street F&B vendors, I expect an increase in the demand for sugarcane drinks and whatnot as well while PokeMasters ‘camp’ at nearby lures.

4. Tourist Attractions

Tourist attractions definitely saw an increase in footfall after the game was launched, including destinations like the Singapore Zoo, Universal Studios (which is a Pikachu nest #dontsaybojio) and especially Chinese Garden.

Chinese and Japanese Garden were always pretty quiet, only lighting up during occasions like Chinese New Year and Midautumn’s Festival.

The gardens probably has not seen such a crowd in years after players started swarming to the place, since it’s a well-known breeding ground for Growlithe and the fully evolved Blastoise.

Wildlife Reserves Singapore released Pokemon Go Edition maps for all four of their wildlife parks – Singapore Zoo, River Safari, Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park. Obviously, they’re releasing lures all day, making the parks a haven for beasts of all kind – both virtually and in reality. Check out more information about the maps here.

5. Power Banks

Not everyone needed a power bank, but the game does drain quite a lot of battery even if you turned off AR mode. I caught a Charmeleon at West Mall the other day with 1% battery left – Man, that was stressful.

Now an absolutely important accessory if you are out for a hunt, power banks seem to be flying off shelves now – especially if they are Pokemon-themed. How to say no to that Pokedex Case that also comes with a Power Bank? #TheStruggleIsReal

6. Goody Feed

If you haven’t realized (which you should have), we have been writing a lot about it. So yes, if you are looking for the latest tips, news, or anything Pokemon-related, chances are you’ll find it here.

Heck, we even show you the merchandise you can buy from Taobao to curb the Pokemon GO fever.