Hear about terms like “PokéStop”, “Lures” and “PokéGym” weeks ago, it was almost the equivalent to words in a language or unfamiliar jargon, without any relevance. Only fans of animated drawings and games Pokémon, whose popularity exploded in the 1990s, on this side of the world, were able to understand or identify with.
The reality right now is another. The apotheosis release of the game Pokémon Go in early July, has made from the younger adults and even the elderly, sometime in recent days have heard, read, seen or even played the popular application. To date, there are over 75 million players spread among just over 30 countries where the application is launched. This is the result of the magnitude of the impact that has represented innovation level, the evolution of a traditional game, which began as a game of animated charts.
The game has become one of the applications most used, where users must catch known virtual characters as pokémons, within a context of real life of its members.
Since its official launch on July 5th, the application has broken all records being the fastest game surpassed the barrier of 50 million downloads in just 19 days. Although the game still does not exceed by users to the king of social networks like Facebook, yes earns him the average time spent by players connected to the application. According to the site Sensor Tower, which measures the performance of mobile applications, Go Pokémon users spend an average of 33 minutes 25 seconds connected to the game. Meanwhile, users of Facebook, the second most commonly used application, average use of 22 minutes and 8 seconds.
But this is not the only record that has beaten Pokémon Go. In recent days, the publication Forbes outlined a study by the intelligence service SurveyMonkey data, which defines the profile of its players in the United States. Surprisingly, the research showed that 63% of gamers are women and only 37% men. It follows that most women have university degrees and are professional. A finding that breaks the norm when it relates to electronic games, a field dominated by men. The study also reveals that the largest group of users is between 18 to 29 years with 46%, followed by the group between 30 to 50 years (25%). As for revenues, profile players reveals that 45.8% generates an average of $ 50,000 a year, while 19.6% accrues from about $ 50,000 to a cap of $ 100,000.
The creator himself game John Hanke, president of the California startup Niantic, in expressions made to the media, he was surprised by this demographic profile. He said they do not have that data because the record of the game only requires a user ID and email. He explained that for that demographic depend on a third party.
For experts, Niantic could develop what has been considered the best exercise virtual reality accessible to the masses, where he successfully converge reality and fiction . To achieve this, Hanke used the franchise Pokémon owned by Nintendo (company that has a 30% stake in the game) as well as the system of geographical location, images and maps of Google, who was duly his former employer.
Today called “guru of virtual reality” worked for 15 years at Google as one of the main developers of the project that created Google Maps and Google Earth. In fact, Google is also part of the group of shareholders of Pokémon Go.
advertising platform
However, beyond innovation and host who has represented the launch of this game, it has become a new platform for brands to get closer to their audiences and connect with their consumers.
“We advertisers see Pokémon Go as the first mass instance where the distinction between the real world and the virtual is blurring. It is an application that requires users out, play and socialize. We see it as a great opportunity to drive traffic to stores and attractions for brands “revealed Jose Ramon Gonzalez, strategist at DDB Latina in Puerto Rico.
Edgardo Manuel Rivera, CEO of DDB Latina in Puerto Rico, revealed that taking the height of the application, and held the first event of massive activation for its client Coca Cola in the area of Old San Juan.
He said the event had the presence of about 4,000 users, who arrived during the last weekend of the historic center with the excuse of play. “The intention was to play for the Old San Juan and knew tourist and cultural interest,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the strategist said that “to ensure that the experience was successful, as the game download really fast phones, put two charging stations Coca Cola in the Plaza del Quinto Centenario, for they could play without problems. ”
He also said that bought what is known as “Lures”, a kind of virtual light that creates a field of attraction for the pokémons appear. These “Lures” active last about 30 minutes and they can only be launched in the PokéStops or Poké stops. The experience is that when one is active, players flock to the place to catch pokémons. Only players who have reached advanced levels in the game can activate a “Lures” in addition to purchasing them.
Basics
The expert in the game and administrator páginade Facebook “Go Pokémons Puerto Rico,” Samuel Otero, explained that the Poké stops are places previously identified by the creators of the game where players come to recharge ammunition. Among them there may be public places, cultural attractions, museums, churches, private businesses and parks. “Niantic chose places where people do usually check-ins, which are benchmarks and have photos uploaded to Google users themselves,” he said.
It is estimated that the game has established Poke about 15 million stops around the world, including as far away as the North Pole.
The young man, who is also a programmer, said that another important factor in the dynamics of the game component are PokéGyms or Poké gyms, where players are going to “fight”, so long debated the domain of the site . According to Otero, this concept is similar to gyms that appears in the animated series where players who belong to one of three teams in the game: Mystic, Instinct and Courage must face and defend their supremacy with other contenders. “Usually, the gyms are in churches but also in business and private businesses, but it is not usual,” he said.
Business Opportunity
The consulting business digital marketing, Ivelisse Arroyo said that the game opens up a new possibility of advertising and promotion for businesses where there are gyms or PokéStops. “The traffic of people playing with the application can increase sales or visits to these places. While catch a Pokémon, why not take a moment to reflect, make lemonade or ice cream, or even janguear in the club? “He said.
Even Arroyo said that there are cases of people who they have capitalized with innovative ideas itinerant businesses, being located strategically where are the PokéStop.
there are reports in the United States on business have increased their sales by the flow of people who have taken their business Pokémon Go. However, an informal survey conducted by Business to several local businesses that are stopped or gyms pokémons has not yet been reflected in a concise way that reality.
Not all is positive
One of them is the business Buenos Ayres, in County listed as a PokéGym. Maria Marty, who owns the place, said she does not agree with his Argentine restaurant is part of the game, as his experience so far has not been positive. “When I found out we were a gym I went into hysterics, because the first thing I see on our Facebook page is a post of a player saying he was in my restaurant ‘fighting’ and everything we used were dirty words”, he said.
the businesswoman said that is not the kind of audience you want to attract to your business. “It’s muchachería who gather in groups, but not consumenen my restaurant,” he added, while explaining that are already in the process with your lawyer to see how they manage to get out of the game.
This has not been It has been the case in other businesses as Don Frappe in Añasco, where although they have not seen a substantial change in sales, the fact that they are a PokéStop not been affected their routine operation.
“it would be difficult to determine whether sales have improved because of that. This season (summer) is already a very good for us and we receive a high volume of consumers, “said Cristian Byron, one of the Innkeepers.
“We are a family business so yes we have seen many visitors playing Pokémon Go while in line waiting their frappes or while waiting for your food,” he added.
They seize the momentum
YamBurger, in Miramar, is another business that appears as a PokéStop, having just headed by a PokéGym. Although the owner was not available to speak to business, one of his employees did confirm that since launching the game in Puerto Rico have noticed an increase in the number of people, especially young people and children who are visiting the place.
The same has happened with the Melanzana restaurant, also in Miramar, where they have noticed a customer demand for the tables are close PokéGym and PokéStop, which are next to the restaurant, confirmed its owner Sandro Calenda.
“the first few days we noticed that released the game that they wanted to sit at the tables near the glass to be close to the metal bike outside and is a PokéStop. Initially we did not know why, but then we found out it was at the game, “said the businessman, who was confident that all player movement around their business ends up benefit.
the specialist social networking Jose Hernandez, confirmed that many businesses already are taking advantage of the free promotion that is attracting them to the game by throwing promotions and social media campaigns on Pokémon Go.
“businesses can take advantage the impact that is creating this new game because it offers an innovative platform for self-promotion and helps them increase sales of their products or services. However, I would say that 80% of traders are unaware of the potential they have in their hands, “Hernandez said.
He mentioned that there are businesses that are PokéStop they are buying” Lures “to attract players consume in their stores.
Future opportunities
for now, Otero said that currently the developer of the game Niantic is not accepting new applications to be a PokéStop or to have a PokéGym, although in its corporate page has a section for it. But what it is speculated that the company will soon begin to market with these possibilities. And McDonalds announced that it reached an economic agreement with the creators of Pokémon Go to each of its restaurants has a stop or a gym.
Of course, there are other brands that have that have taken advantage of the situation or promotions campaigning around the issue. One example was the case of Hyundai, whose advertising agency Kroma, launched a social networking effort to prevent accidents on the road, targeting players Pokémon Go. To do this, he used the image of sports Veloster and became the popular game character, Pikachu. In the first 42 hours, the post was seen by over 230,000 users.
Similarly, took advantage of the “momentum” T-Mobile, who announced it would offer data unlimited free to play Pokémon Go to all customers. The provider explained that new and existing customers will have unlimited high speed data free to play Pokemon Go, in the United States and Puerto Rico, until 27 August. To be free for a whole year should drop to your cell application T-Mobile Tuesdays, which also flatters them every Tuesday with a different prize.
The provider reported that since it launched the application of T-Mobile Tuesdays at the beginning of June, there have been 5 million downloads of the application and granted 8 million prizes, which include pizzas from Domino’s, lockers to go to the movies and Frostys Wendy’s.
Although it is not known how long it will last Pokémon fever Go, experts say this is only the beginning of the impact it will have on the lives of people virtual reality.
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