Whatseris a location-based social app that sits somewhere between Foursquare and Yelp, letting users share their favourite places, rather than their current location, with friends. It’s now opened up to brands too, letting them do the same.
The perhaps unlikely first brand to sign up is baby stroller and pram company Bugaboo.Its collectionfeatures over 350 places across the US and Europe that should appeal to “modern parents on the move”, such as parks, shops, museums and playgrounds.
Appealing to brands is a common tactic amongst consumer-focused social startups of late. Just look at the likes of Foursquare and Instagram for examples of how getting brands on board can be a win for both sides. The startup gets an endorsement from a recognisable name and the brand gets to look ‘cool’ and ‘cutting edge’. Hopefully, the users see a benefit too.
Bugaboo, aiming a parents, may not seem like the coolest of brands to sign up to such a scheme. However, Amsterdam-based Whatser founder Michiel Verbreg, known for showing up at conferences dressed entirely in green lycra (even covering his face!), says “Bugaboo is a great example on how a brand can add value to their services and build costumer loyalty by sharing specific know-how through a platform where they can interact with their customers.”
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Whatser is available now in beta for iOS, Android and BlackBerry.
Story byMartin SFP Bryant
Martin SFP Bryant is the founder of UK startup newsletter PreSeed Now and technology and media consultancy Big Revolution. He was previously(show all)Martin SFP Bryant is the founder of UK startup newsletterPreSeed Nowand technology and media consultancyBig Revolution. He was previously Editor-in-Chief at TNW.
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