ASK THE CEO – Pongr For Shopper Marketing & Brand Awareness

Advertising, Ask the CEO, Featured Posts, Shopper Marketing | by

    Pongr Co-Founder and CEO Jamie Thompson believes that shopper marketing is one of the least appreciated aspects of retail advertising.

    (“Ask The CEO” is a series of Q & A interviews with Pongr Co-Founder and CEO Jamie Thompson exploring how brands can best monetize consumer photos and turn any brand advertising or packaging into a direct response promotional campaign.)

    Q: Pongr recently partnered with UNREAL Candy on a photo contest to celebrate its national distribution in Target Stores. What was the strategy?

    JT: UNREAL is an all-natural candy company that aims to “Unjunk the World” by providing healthier candy options without sacrificing taste. To promote carrying the new line of products, Target put UNREAL end cap displays in each of its stores. In an effort to drive brand awareness and engagement with their end caps, UNREAL put together a photo campaign using Pongr as their platform to encourage consumers to share pictures while they are in the store.

    Q: How can a photo contest help a new start-up brand?

    JT: This is the classic challenge of a new product introduction. How do brands create co-branded promotions that bring innovation to their retail partner, but also drive specific interaction with their product and encourage their consumers to share that experience across their social networks?

    With a Pongr-powered campaign, brands can connect consumer photos directly to their CRM database. Shopper marketing is one of the most important facets of brand advertising – and also one of the least appreciated. Brands are always vying for the best placement on shelves, the best placement in retail environments. And in a world where social matters, in a world where mobile matters, in a world where media is getting more integrated then ever before, shopper marketing needs to get pulled into the 21st century.

    UNREAL Candy’s Pongr-powered Sweepstakes deployed image recognition to identify whether customers photographed the UNREAL logo on any of its packaging and on in-store endcap displays to celebrate national distribution at Target Stores. In addition to the Grand Prize winner, 10 runners up won a year’s supply of UNREAL Candy!

    Q: What was the call to action?

    JT: As part of a New Year’s Resolution for healthier eating, UNREAL asked its fans to “Unjunk Your January,” by sharing pics of themselves, family and friends enjoying the product. Pongr provided them with the photo platform for fans to email or picture text them to unreal@pongr.com in return for an automatic entry in their sweepstakes. The top prize was a $10,000 Target gift card, with ten second prize winners getting a year’s supply of UNREAL Candy.

    Every photo entry received an instant direct response message encouraging participants to share their experiences across their social networks – including easy-click sharing on Facebook and Twitter.

    Q: What do you think about UNREAL Candy’s execution of their photo marketing campaign?

    JT: What impressed me about the UNREAL team and their agency was their very smart integration of shopper marketing with digital and traditional activation. So this program tightly integrated their spend on traditional media and their efforts and spend on digital, with shopper marketing. All with the end result of trying to drive sales across their retail partner’s stores.

    UNREAL End caps at Target Stores — When customers get close enough to photograph a product, they are more likely to try the product.

    Q: What do you think of UNREAL’s outreach strategy?

    JT: UNREAL has been really successful with their partnerships with mommy bloggers, who happen to be one of the most energized and influential groups of brand ambassadors you could ever ask for. When these bloggers get organically excited, there’s no one better to spread the message. I think it’s a brilliant way of harnessing the energy of authentic brand ambassadors and combining it with shopper marketing, traditional media, and digital media. It’s all part of the future for every brand, tighter integration across all of these channels.

    Shopper marketing is what makes the difference between whether a consumer buys your product or not. And if you can integrate your shopper marketing activity with social, you can amplify your reach, you can amplify your dollars spent — in a way that actually produces sales results. We’re excited to be a part of the shopper marketing conversations now, and we’re very excited to be building a part of that integration for the future of brands.

    Q: Okay, so that describes how Pongr’s Photo Response Marketing helps emerging brands. What about mass scale campaigns for established national and global brands?

    JT: Pongr’s image recognition and direct response tools are built to automate your campaigns at any scale. Stay tuned to this space for more details on our collaboration with agencies on shopper marketing campaigns for Nestle’s Skinny Cow, Circle K convenience stores, and Pepsi/Major League Baseball.

    (Is there a topic you’d like to see Pongr’s Jamie Thompson tackle in a future Q & A? Please send your questions and suggestions to darren@pongr.com)

    Inc. Magazine: Pongr Photo Marketing is the “Best For Creating Loyalty Campaigns”

    Brand Loyalty, Brand Rewards, Direct Response Campaigns, Pongr for Small Businesses, Pongr in the Media, Shopper Marketing | by

      Monetize Your Customer Photos — Businesses of all sizes use Pongr for direct response marketing campaigns and to maximize the value of user-generated photos by connecting them to their CRM databases.

      Inc. Magazine, best known for its focus on America’s fastest growing privately held companies and its coverage of entrepreneurs, explores the photo marketing landscape for brands and small businesses in its May issue — which is on the newsstands now.

      The magazine examines the business value of four competing photo sharing platforms and their comparative marketing strengths. Highlighting both Pongr’s free photo marketing tools for small businesses and organizations, and its premium services for brands, the Inc. story names Pongr the “Best For Creating Loyalty Campaigns.”

      You can read the full story, “4 Ways to Market With Online Photos,” here.

      We’re honored to be recognized for our shopper marketing loyalty programs, which award points for taking and sharing pics and giving consumers opportunities to redeem their points for prizes.

      For small businesses and organizations, having access to a sleek-looking software platform and a fan leaderboard is priceless — given how tight IT budgets are these days.

      For local, regional and global brands, Pongr’s image recognition and direct response system allows campaigns to be automated at any scale. The natural consumer act of taking a picture is their entry into a contest, promotion or sweepstakes. Our computer vision “sees” when customers have interacted with the desired product, packaging or store display — and filters out incorrect images.

      Pull out your camera phone and check it out for yourself. Snap a pic of your company/brand logo and send it to (brandname)@pongr.com. Check your inbox and see what happens!

      (Pongr shopper marketing campaigns can be used for new or existing brand loyalty programs. Drop us a line here to learn more.)

      Shopper Marketing Opportunity: Speed Dating at Walmart?

      Shopper Marketing | by

        Dating in the Shopping Aisles — A new informal study by Psychology Today finds that more people are experiencing (and losing) love at first sight in supermarkets, convenience stores, superstores, gyms, McDonald’s and Wal-Mart. (Double click for a link to the study)

        Psychology Today writer Dorothy Gambrell recently conducted a fascinating study of Craigslist “Missed Connections” posts, those wistful ads where strangers who fell in love with each other without acting on it can make a desperate longshot bid for a second chance. (Of course, these “Missed Connections” can be one-way crushes.)

        Gambrell put her state-by-state findings in map form and the results are surprising:

        • * Walmart is a potential dating paradise, winning over the lonely hearts of Montana, Idaho, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Florida, West Virginia and Hawaii.
        • * McDonald’s customers in Kansas fantasize a lot over shakes.
        • * Maine, Kentucky, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wyoming shoppers are looking for love at the supermarket, with Connecticut singles discovering special magic at Stop & Shop.
        • * We’re assuming that the Subway romantic moments in New York and Massachusetts refer to public transit and not over $5 Footlong subs with Jared.
        • * Bars are still holding on as meeting spots, remaining dominant in North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Vermont.

        Kissing Ronald McDonald — Is McDonald’s the new spot for romance? According to a Psychology Today study, it is in Kansas. (Picture Source: ThePosse/Photobucket)

        What does this informal data mean for supermarkets and retailers?  Well, it seems that the aisles are ripe for direct response marketing campaigns — as it is clear where the young people are hanging out. (Not to stereotype, but older divorcees tend to lose their hopeless fairy tale romantic notions).

        Maybe there is also a golden opportunity to put a speed dating booth in Aisle 7.

        (Pongr is NOT a dating service. But we are all about relationships. Pongr is the only mobile direct response Photo Marketing platform especially built for shopper marketing, CPGs and brands. Learn more.)

        Don’t Just Spread The Love, Pongr It!

        Brand Ambassadors, Brand Loyalty, Pongr Contests, Shopper Marketing, Uncategorized | by

          We’re well on our way into winter, and love is in the air. Flowers, gifts, and candy are being purchased. Pink, red, and white decorations are hanging, and this can only mean one thing: Valentine’s Day is approaching.

          Now, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be dedicated exclusively to those in romantic relationships. Valentine’s Day is a time when you can express your love to anyone, such as a family member or close friend… and the only thing that is just as important as spreading the love, is capturing it.

          With that being said, it’s time for the Valentine’s Day photo contest!

           Here’s how it works:

          1)   Take Valentine’s Day inspired photos.

          2)   Send them in, either by MMS or email, to “brandnamehere”@pongr.com!  Make sure to put #VDay in the subject line to be entered in the contest.

          3)   Share, share, share! Share your pics with family and friends. Share them on Facebook or Twitter. Sharing is caring, and you’ll only be gaining more Pongr points, Facebook likes, and Twitter favorites!

          The contest starts on Monday, February 4 and ends on Sunday, February 17. We’re giving you some extra time after Valentine’s Day in case you’re celebrating with your loved ones over the weekend! Three very lucky winners chosen at random will be revealed on Monday, February 18th and will receive gift cards to their choice of H&M, Old Navy, Starbucks, or Dunkin Donuts.

          So whether you’re spending your Valentine’s Day with your spouse, friends, family, or a bottle of merlot, don’t forget to take some pictures and send them our way!

          Shopper Marketing: UNREAL Candy Celebrates Target Partnership With $10K Sweepstakes

          Brand Photo-Sharing Games, Featured Posts, Pongr Contests, Shopper Marketing | by

            PLAY FOOD — It’s amazing how long a few UNREAL candies can keep a baby amused. Photo credit: Douglas L. (Double click for more candid UNREAL baby pics)

            Happiness is… eating candy with your feet?

            For this youngster, it’s just as enjoyable to play with UNREAL Candy as it is to eat it. UNREAL began as a family project — a 13-year-old boy asking his dad, “Why does the junk food we love have to be so bad for us?” — so it’s only fitting that the start-up brand’s first photo contest would generate tons of fun family moments.

            To celebrate its nationwide distribution in Target Stores, UNREAL is giving away a $10,000 Target shopping spree as the grand prize in its “Unjunk Your 2013 Sweepstakes.” Ten additional winners will receive a year’s worth of UNREAL Candy.

            To enter, UNREAL fans need to snap a pic of the candy — or preferably of themselves, family or friends enjoying the candy — and email it or picture-text it to unreal@pongr.com. Aside from the customary kids with chocolately faces, shoppers have been getting extremely creative with their contest entries. Here are a few unexpected gems:

            1. An UNREAL parakeet.
            2. Cute dolls with a preference for candy made without artificial ingredients or preservatives.
            3. A unicorn who loves candy that has a low glycemic index.*
            4. Spelling the futuristic UNREAL logo with candy-coated chocolates.
            5. Balancing UNREAL on a pregnant tummy!
            6. UNREAL school teachers.

            The asterisked unicorn entry was done by a fan with a chroma key and green screen, an additional effort that’s appreciated but not necessary to enter the contest. The beauty of all Pongr-powered photo contests is that there is a very low “Snap and Send” barrier for participation. No apps to download. No codes to scan.

            “Our big challenge is how do you capture taste in a photo?” asks Alan Ringvald, UNREAL Candy’s head of digital and social media. “We’re trying to prove our unjunked candy tastes just as good without any of the bad stuff in it.”

            UNREAL has been giving away tons of free candy samples each month, sharing the sweetness at art festivals, street fairs, concerts, sporting events, college campus and 5K races. New York’s recent Jingle Ball concert with Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber was also joined by four UNREAL “Morph Men,” silent Blue Man Group-like creatures who surprised fans with UNREAL treats.

            But the next best thing to actually eating candy is showing the world how much fun candy can be — and that’s where the photo contest comes into play.

            “Picture sharing is booming,” Ringvald says. “Photos are all about instant gratification, and we’re hoping people will want to share some of their most enjoyable UNREAL moments.”

            “The Pongr system is just so easy for our customers to use,” he adds. “It’s streamlined for sharing on Facebook and Twitter and it’s a great way for people to interact up close with the product.”

            HERE I AM!  To kick off its distribution of UNREAL, Target has been showcasing the product on end cap displays in all of its U.S. stores. Photo credit: Arnold F. (Double click to see other Target shoppers discovering their favorite candy).

            Amidst the piles of smiles being collected in the photo contest, UNREAL is making an astonishing pitch for a consumer brand. The company wants you to enjoy their candy, but not too much of it.

            The year’s supply of candy is worth $500, roughly enough for a few bags each week.

            “We don’t want people to gorge on candy — any candy, even ours,” says Ringvald. “We want you to unjunk with a reasonable amount.”

            That message coincides with the company’s insistence that its customers eat more of nature’s candy, i.e., fruit, on all of its nutritional comparison charts on the Web.

            FASHIONABLE CANDY — Fruitella 14′s funky fingernail polish complements UNREAL’s colorful packaging! (Double click for the full Pongr UNREAL Photo Gallery)

            UNREAL’s commitment to providing a better candy option makes it a natural pitch to mom bloggers, who are a big part of the company’s promotion effort. Bloggers who are sharing the 2013 Sweepstakes have asked their readers to hashtag their blog name in the Pongr photo gallery.

            “We’re a small part of a much bigger movement,” says Ringvald. “We believe in sourcing ingredients responsibly and improving nutrition rather than to sacrifice quality for cost.”

            UNREAL has been promoting its Pongr-powered photo contest on its Facebook page and through outreach to mom blogger networks. (Double click for your chance to win before January 20.)

            You can find UNREAL Candy at Target, Staples, CVS, Michaels, Market Basket, BJs, Tedeschi Food Shops and other fine stores.

            (Hungry? To find the nearest UNREAL Candy retail location, click here.)

            Thanksgiving Table Photo Contest

            Advertising, Brand Ambassadors, Brand Loyalty, Pongr Contests, Shopper Marketing, Uncategorized | by

              The remaining colored leaves slowly fall and litter countless yards,  while the scent of cinnamon and cloves pervades the air. Starbucks has brought out the holiday cups and treats. This can only mean one thing: winter and the holidays that are associated with it are afoot.

              Starting off the season is Thanksgiving, a day to recognize all that we are fortunate to have and say thanks. Children travel back home to spend the extended weekend with their parents. Families and friends join together in celebration and in anticipation of an unforgettable meal.

              Whether it is turkey or tofurkey being served on your table this coming Thursday, make sure to capture the moments: from the beautiful spread of dishes on the dining room table and the first delicious bite, to the post dinner food coma.

              For the Pongr Thanksgiving Table Photo Contest we want you to share your family’s traditions. Whether it is a special way of preparing the turkey, fighting over the wishbone, or turning in early in preparation of 5 AM Black Friday shopping, Thanksgiving is celebrated differently by everyone. Show off your family, meal, and everything in between.

              The rules to enter are simple.

              1. Snap as many photos as you can of your Thanksgiving holiday! Show off your favorite brand of cranberry sauce or document how mom makes it from scratch.
              2. Send your photos, either by MMS or email, to [InsertBrandName]@pongr.com! Make sure to tag them with the #Thanksgiving hashtag.
              3. Share your photos with friends and family! Share them on Facebook or Twitter. Any way you do it, you are bound to receive lots of Pongr points, Facebook likes, Twitter favorites, and human smiles.

              The photo contest starts this Wednesday, November 21 and ends on Sunday, November 25. Three lucky winners will be revealed on Monday, November 26 and will receive gift cards to their choice of H&M, Old Navy, or Starbucks to get started on holiday shopping. 

              Brand Experience: Sharing Is Caring

              Brand Ambassadors, Brand Loyalty, Mobile Marketing, Shopper Marketing, Social Media | by

                Every store of every brand is different. The Apple Store on 5th Avenue isn’t quite the same as the one on Newbury Street in Boston. It goes the same for any food or beverage chains; the Starbucks in Seattle isn’t identical to the ones at the airport. Different stores give customers a different experience.

                A photo taken with the male model in front of Hollister’s 5th Avenue location.

                If you’ve ever walked down 5th Avenue in Manhattan, it’s a street full of every brand you can possibly think of. There are thousands of people walking up and down that one avenue, in one day and even so, people remember to stop in front of their favorite store and take a snapshot of that moment.

                Pongr isn’t just a social media platform, it’s somewhere you can have fun with the pictures you take, visually share what you love about your favorite brands and share your experience at different stores of various brands.

                Stores like Uniqlo have limited locations in the U.S., mostly focused in New York City. Johnny Cupcakes is another clothing store that is limited to the East Coast and only one location in Los Angeles, California. Each store has its unique atmosphere and some brands even launch limited promotions in different areas.

                A band playing live jazz at one of the Uniqlo stores.

                Through Pongr, not only do users enjoy uploading pictures and earning points, but also can share a personal experience of a brand or store that is exclusive to their memory. By sharing various photos of products or stores, users can gain information about sales, themes and limited edition products. On the Pongr website, there is a location function that identifies where the photo was taken, helping users locate which store has what specific product.

                Pongr a photo of your favorite store, shop or product. It could be a photo of a Starbucks mug that’s exclusive to your city, photos of a flagship store or even a limited edition product that you want to share. Head over to www.pongr.com to share your experience.

                Pongr Perfect Memories

                Brand Loyalty, Shopper Marketing | by

                  It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Harry Potter was one of the best series of novels in recent memory. Nonetheless, many were disappointed with how the novels were depicted on-screen. There were initial complaints of how the actors didn’t quite fit the characters of the book or how technology couldn’t catch up with the magical storyline; it wasn’t quite how people imagined it to be.

                  When we read a book, we put our imagination into work and create a world fit for the book and when movies don’t live up to our expectations, we are disappointed.

                  The same goes for pictures. They capture a moment we want to cherish. Photos take us back in time to that exact moment when the shutter went off or the time period we long to visit again. Sometimes, videos just don’t do justice for our memories.

                  Often times, brands carry the same effect as photos do: they capture memories of our past of when we enjoyed a certain candy bar, bag of chips or carbonated drink. You might have shared a Twix candy bar with your first love or popped M&Ms as you pulled an all-nighter while studying for finals.

                  Videos might capture the same, but can anyone create the perfect video to capture such memories? Not unless they’re highly skilled at video production. It won’t turn out as expected, just like the Harry Potter movies that didn’t quite live up to our imaginations. Pictures are simple: you focus on an object, press a button and capture the moment you want to cherish.

                  Pongr provides the perfect platform to share those memories of your favorite soft drink in high school, your favorite winter coat or even the ring your husband swept you away with. Invite your friends to Pongr and share memories of your favorite brands and products.

                  How to Make the Most of Your Phone’s Camera

                  Mobile Marketing, Shopper Marketing, Social Media | by

                    In this day and age there is no shortage of camera apps for smartphones. From Instagram to DMD Panorama, you can capture the perfect shot and show it off on Pongr. Here are some useful tips to make the most of your phone’s camera.

                    Stick to the basics at first. 

                    A clean photo always looks good.

                    Unless you are going for a panorama, always take your photos with the phone’s basic camera app. We hate to admit it, but apps occasionally crash. The likelihood of the basic camera app crashing while you snap a few shots is far smaller than a photo app crashing during the editing stages. Plus, shooting without any filters allows you to focus on framing the subject.

                    Speaking of framing, keep in mind that some applications confine images to specific dimensions. Instagram, for example, saves photos as squares. Beware of the black bars that can appear if your photo is too wide. To remove them simply zoom in, but remember that the same area will be removed from the left and right sides of the photo. Once you are satisfied with the photos you have taken move on to editing.

                    Then bring on the filters. 

                    Simply increasing the contrast can make a big difference in a photo.

                    One of the most exciting aspects of using a photo application is applying the filters. There are dozens of filters out there, but how do you choose which one is best for a particular photo? Sure, you can just click through them and see which one you like, but there is a better method. When taking your photo envision the final image. This a tip all photographers receive. Think about which colors you want to accentuate. What tone do you want the photo to have? Do you want it to be warm or cold? Should you increase or decrease the contrast?

                    The key here is practice. Pickup your phone, set your sights on a subject, and shoot. Aim to make choices that will create a dynamic and eye-catching photo. Try different angles, lighting, and positioning of the subject. Then complement the photo with some nifty filters and Pongr away.

                    Pongr Treat!

                    Advertising, Brand Loyalty, Shopper Marketing | by

                      October is right around the corner. That means tricks and treats are going to be right at your doorstep. We all have our favorite ghouls, ghosts and Disney characters to dress up as on the last day of October, but we also have our fair share of guilty pleasures: candies and chocolates.

                      Of course, candies and chocolates aren’t the only thing we enjoy; there are various recipes people whip up to celebrate Halloween and make it more special for children.

                      Pictures have captured countless Halloween memories for many families, but you can now add more memories and capture all of your favorite candy brands. You can share your favorite Halloween season brands and give others ideas for Halloween trick-or-treating or even discover ideas yourself.

                      When shopping at a nearby grocery store, you must’ve noticed the Halloween specials that were prepared by your favorite candy brands. Candy corns, Halloween themed chocolates, orange Oreos… They’re all back! Halloween edition products don’t last long, though. They’ll be around until Halloween and disappear like a vampire at the break of dawn.

                      Before it’s too late, #TrickOrTreat2012 and Pongr photos of your favorite Halloween edition treats.

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