Starbucks in Hot Pursuit of Mobile Users

I’d say that it’s safe to say that Starbucks may have the right idea here. Mobile users are important and frankly, will be important to their business as well.

Starbucks is halfway through a summer-themed promotion that encourages people to deploy their camera phones as part of a mobile scavenger hunt.

Participants in the “Starbucks Summer Pursuit” quiz and sweepstakes opt in to receive a series of SMS questions on their handsets, to which they can reply by sending a picture of the answer. To support the effort, Starbucks has licensed image recognition technology to verify correct responses. Phone users can also text in their answers to the test questions.

Quiz questions and clues include a combination of general summer themes and brand-specific topics. One such clue goes as follows: “Two p’s, two c’s and no h. I’m hard to spell, but easy to drink.” The answer: “Frappuccino.”

Starbucks is promoting the effort via search engine keyword buys, outdoor advertising and nearly three million “invitation-to-participate” cards being distributed at store locations and events around the country. Additionally, an e-mail blast went out to about two million people the company identified as Starbucks fans…. Source: ClickZ Network