Chevy Taps Into IBM Watson To Reward Positive People

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If you’re an online troll who commandeers Twitter and Facebook as if it were a Napoleonic war, you might have just typed yourself out of some free gas, not to mention some friends.

Chevrolet is trying to enhance personal engagement with consumers by pumping some positivity into the socialsphere by partnering with IBM Watson and introducing “Fueling Capabilities,” a new digital campaign that evaluates users’ social media presence to gauge their positive impact on society.

The Chevrolet Global Positivity System is a mobile and desktop website that provides the most accurate snapshot conceivable of a user’s social sentiment by pairing personality to possibility.

How does it work? Twitter and/or Facebook users are asked to enter their account and within seconds the program returns a score that makes you either feel like Mother Teresa or a Kanye West lovechild. The tool was made by IBM Watson’s cognitive computing platform.

The campaign aims at driving awareness for Chevy across global markets under the tagline “Find New Roads.” To promote it, Chevy took over three gas stations in Buenos Aires, Cape Town and New Orleans where patrons were given free gas based on their positivity score. The free gas initiative is also planned for Canada, Dubai and South Korea.

Could Oprah, LeBron James and Pope Francis win free fuel? IBM Watson tested their service on some world leaders and celebrities by applying linguistic analytics and personality theory to infer attributes from unstructured text.

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Chevy becomes the latest brand to hitch its consumer-marketing wagon to IBM Watson, joining the likes of Macy’s, Kia and a slew of others.

Stephen Gold, the chief marketing officer for IBM Watson Group and vice president for partner programs and venture capital at IBM, said that there isn’t a single industry that won’t be transformed by their cognitive computing technology.

“Marketers pay a steep price for not understanding their customers’ needs and reactions to their business decisions. Watson can help marketers better understand their customers on an individual level, creating a more personalized experience that can lead to deeper engagement and stronger brand affinity.” Gold told [a]listdaily. “Much of the data explosion that has occurred, especially in the social realm, has provided an incredible wealth of information for marketers to learn from and respond to. But to take advantage of this newfound resource, they need cognitive capabilities.”

Although a dearth of data analytics can work wonders, according to a 2016 PwC’s global data and analytics survey, 62 percent of executives still rely more on experience and advice than data to make decisions.

To better find out why Chevy drove deep into the roads of data, Brian Thomas, director of global creative content for Chevrolet global marketing, joined [a]listdaily to explain.

Why did Chevrolet zero in on cognitive computing to create a social sentiment tool?

What we set out to create went beyond social sentiment. We used both IBM’s Watson Personality Insights as well as the AlchemyLanguage APIs for tonality of social posts. It was our goal to create a tool that could provide a detailed personality snapshot for users that was based on multiple criteria, including a social media analysis to evaluate sentiment and a personality characteristic evaluation to help guide users toward activities for their next adventure. Ultimately, Chevrolet’s point of view in terms of applying technology is that it should make life simpler and better. Partnering with IBM in this way allowed us to create a simple, human experience that encourages real people to find a new road in life.

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What is the partnership with IBM Watson designed to accomplish? How does it help you sell cars?

The ‘Fueling Possibilities’ campaign drives awareness for our brand and what we stand for. Chevrolet is at different stages of brand awareness around the globe. A global campaign such as ‘Fueling Possibilities’ helps us create consistency as to who we are as Chevrolet, bringing a unifying message around our global brand promise to ‘Find New Roads.’ Our audience wants a brand that means something to them. These types of campaigns help define Chevrolet globally. There are scores of auto brands producing cars around the world. We need to be clear as to why Chevrolet produces them. Chevrolet exists to help people make every mile count on their life journey.

Is there a specific marketing strategy behind promoting the Chevrolet Global Positivity System?

‘Fueling Possibilities’ is being supported through a global integrated campaign that consists of paid digital media, owned media and earned. Through paid media, we’re utilizing targeted Facebook custom videos based on edited content from the campaign. We also ran a promoted trend on Twitter across multiple global markets amongst other digital marketing tactics. We also had a really strong earned push that started with an employee advocacy strategy developed to get our own Chevrolet employees engaged and familiar with the app itself. Because we incorporated social sharing into the app, there was a viral tide that helped build awareness from the inside-out.

How will you be judging the success of the Chevrolet Global Positivity System? What kind of tools work best to assess the activation?

The campaign will span over a year-long period. We’ll utilize post-campaign analysis and measurement reports specific to standard digital metrics.

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How would you describe Chevrolet’s social personality?

I would say that our social personality is commensurate to our brand values. We’re a genuine brand with a strong history. We’re confident, optimistic, young at heart and live for innovation.

What do you plan on doing with the dearth of data that you gather? Will Chevrolet develop tailored marketing campaigns and products with the data? 

We aren’t focusing on PII, but more so giving customers who may never have considered a Chevrolet the opportunity to understand more about who we are as a brand. In aggregate, the data we evaluate through ‘Fueling Possibilities’ will help us design better campaigns into the future. We truly believe we can build on this experience.

How is Chevrolet positioning the brand in developing and implementing global creative content along with digital and social media strategies?

We’ve created what we refer to as the global content studio which is made up from a cross-discipline team of blended talent on the client side as well as across multiple agencies, focused on one objective. The global content studio allows Chevrolet to speak with a consistent voice across markets within digital and social while providing us with the right people, processes and tools to support a world where being both agile and responsive is key.

What role do you want to play in the new era of computing moving forward?

We recognize that the world is not only digital, but mobile. How we convey our brand values to our customers has to be built around the tenants of digital marketing—we need to be agile and responsive while providing personalized experiences that lead our customers to feel that Chevrolet is a brand for them.

Follow Manouk Akopyan on Twitter @Manouk_Akopyan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKd9Oq9xgzA

Fast Cars, Fast Hedgehog: This Week In Game Launches And Promotions

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From shoes you can wear to trailers you can feel, it was a big week for video game launches, particularly with the following titles that were ushered in with great marketing fanfare:

FIFA 17

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Sports fans everywhere are on the quest for soccer stardom this week with the launch of EA Sports’ FIFA 17. During E3, EA Sports placed major emphasis on the players themselves and each individual’s journey to greatness—inviting gamers to interact with the title on an emotional level. Additionally, fans were invited to vote on the cover star, further creating a sense of personal investment in the game’s success. A strategic partnership with Nike resulted in some limited edition cleats—EA Sports x Nike Mercurial SuperFly, available in real life, as well as in-game. Coke also partnered with EA by offering a collectible Slurpee cup activation at 7-Eleven stores across the US, along with a FIFA 17 contest featuring over 10,000 prizes.

Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice

Everyone’s favorite blue hedgehog is back in Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice, the third in the spin-off video game series. Sega’s world-famous character has been making a serious social comeback with videos, Twitter takeovers and more. For the launch of Fire & Ice, Sega challenged Twitter users to see how “hot or cool” they are by clicking on an animated GIF that stops on the answer. In the Nintendo UK store, players can pick up a special bundle with the game, along with a snazzy, Sonic hat.

Forza Horizon 3

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“Forza Horizon 3” Snapchat lens

As if Sonic didn’t give you enough need for speed, car-lovers are burning rubber throughout North America today with a nationwide Forza Horizon 3 Snapchat lens. The filter is part of a series of launch activations, including an event at the Peterson Automotive Museum this past weekend in Los Angeles, complete with a Facebook Live pre-show, Twitch stream featuring rally driver Ken Block and a real-time @Xbox Snap Story.

In Australia, Xbox launched the UK’s first 4DX-enabled cinema ad to promote the release. The immersive execution incorporated hi-tech motion seats and special effects including water sprays, gusts of air, fog and strobe lighting, immersing movie-goers into the game’s trailer. Microsoft released a demo September 12 to get fans excited, and those who purchased the Ultimate Edition were able to start playing last week.

Microsoft showed off the game during E3 2016, demonstrating Play Anywhere compatibility, four-player co-op and and the largest car roster in the series—including a BMW M4 customized with a wide-body kit, 800-hp truck and the new Lamborghini Centenario.

 

Why It’s Still Safe To Count On Facebook Video Metrics

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Last Thursday, advertisers were told Facebook’s counting method likely overestimated the average time spent watching videos by between 60 and 80 percent, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. This was because it was only factoring in video views of more than three seconds. Technically, Facebook only considers a video “watched” if it has been viewed for at least three seconds. However, marketers grew concerned and according to Facebook, the error has been fixed, per Ad Week.

So, what does this mean for advertisers? Luckily, the price of ads is typically based on impressions, 10-second views and completed views—none of which were affected by Facebook’s view-counting mistake. These metrics were accidentally inflated for approximately two years before the discovery was made public, a fact that Carolyn Everson, Facebook’s vice president of global marketing solutions, views as a mistake.

“I think a lesson learned for all of us at Facebook—and perhaps in the industry—is that what we should have done a month ago was made it public that we had found this error and that we had made a correction, and not just called our clients and agencies,” Everson said in a presentation during New York Ad Week on Monday.

Is it still safe to use social media as a reliable source of video traffic?

Absolutely, says Eric Ayzenberg, chief brand soulmate of the Ayzenberg Group, a Pasadena-based ad agency. “Facebook handled its video analytics revisions very well,” he said. “I think it’s just a blip on the radar considering how well Facebook video works for our clients. Although I understand the idea that a player should not also be a referee, at this moment, I do not see a third-party auditor who I would trust more.”

Despite understandable concerns following the metrics revelation, marketers still consider the social media giant to be the best for measuring return on investment.

It’s not much of a surprise, however, that Facebook’s latest ad measuring tools emphasize human involvement for that extra layer of comfort. The corrected video-counting metrics, combined with Facebook’s new human-powered resources, should help soothe concerns while providing more in-depth insights—proving to be a marketing “blessing in disguise.”

What Snapchat’s Rebranding Means For The Photo Sharing App

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Snapchat is now Snap Inc., a telling “picture” of the company’s plans for diversification. What started as a fun way to send silly messages to friends has grown into a social media giant and now a camera company valued at $18 billion by investors in 2016.

The first outside-the-app offering by Snap Inc. comes by way of an innovation called Spectacles—WiFi sunglasses that record up to 10 seconds of video on a wide angle lens, which can then be uploaded to Snapchat. A limited supply will be sold this fall for $129.99 per pair in a choice of three colors.

spectaclesThe expansion from social app to camera company makes sense—offering Snap Inc. a way to capitalize on photography, the very thing that drives its brand. Although the company has yet to reveal other products just yet, the Spectacles give us a good idea of where the brand is headed.

“We believe that reinventing the camera represents our greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate,” reads the new Snap Inc. website. “Our products empower people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world and have fun together.” Snap Inc. has yet to define how they will “reinvent” the camera itself, but the statement implies innovation.

Spectacles, for example, allows users to capture and share memories while remaining hands-free. Lights on the glasses turn on to let others know when owners are recording. It is otherwise less bulky (and more fashionable) than a Go Pro camera strapped to one’s forehead, while remaining a low-cost alternative to Google Glasses. Memories are a major selling point for the new product, utilizing frontline marketing and nostalgia to create an emotional attachment to the brand.

Snapchat is largely becoming a hub for brands to reach users on an emotional or entertaining level, and the app now offers three new targeted ad offerings. Time will tell how these new cameras will benefit outside marketers, although they sure would be easy to use for a Snapchat scavenger hunt.

Facebook’s New Measuring Tools Focus On Human Involvement And Gives Ad Options For Retailers

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With over half of marketers struggling to accurately measure return on investment, Facebook is answering the call with five new ways to accurately track ad effectiveness. The solution? Inserting more people into the equation.

“Measurement allows marketers to understand the effectiveness of their advertising,” Facebook said on its blog Wednesday. “But measurement across different devices, channels and platforms is tough without a consistent denominator. That denominator should be real people. When real people aren’t at the center of your digital measurement campaigns, up to 66 percent of digital conversion events can go unrecognized. People-based measurement tells a better story about how your ads are really performing.”

Those “people” will be members of Nielsen Catalina Solutions, offering consumer package goods (CPG) brands the ability to see the impact of Facebook and Instagram on in-store purchases. Nielson’s new, “robust sales lift measurement platform for the CPG industry” will offer insights and comparisons to the industry as a whole. For example, a recent study by Nielson revealed that 42 percent of Instagram users are more likely to spend money on music than general consumers.

Facebook AnalyticsFacebook is also integrating the Life API by Oracle Data Cloud to estimate how likely people are to buy a product if they haven’t seen an ad versus those who have. “Lift uses a traditional, scientific test vs control methodology,” Facebook explained. “The test group sees an ad, while the control group does not. The difference between the two groups is the lift in sales from the ads. Lift tests can only be performed when both groups have the same characteristics, and this can only be done reliably when the measurement is people-based.”

When a consumer sees a multitude of ads, it’s difficult to determine how many ads led to the actual purchase, and oftentimes the last ad clicked is given credit—accurately or not. Facebook hopes to combat this problem and accurately determine which ads lead to purchases through a partnership with Visual IQ and Neustar. This integration will analyze historical data from different channels leading up to the purchase.

For mobile developers, Facebook has enlisted the help of seven new mobile measurement partners (Adjust, Adways Inc., AppsFlyer, Apsalar, CyberZ, Kochava and Localytics) to determine what drives mobile app installs.

These announcements are strategically timed following Facebook’s foray into eCommerce, allowing users to make purchases directly from a Messenger conversation or in the case of movie tickets, a mobile advertisement. Facebook’s ad revenue grew by 63 percent in the second quarter of 2016, and these new analytics tools will no doubt contribute to further growth—if only because marketers will jump to try the new offerings for themselves.

Why Lyft And Budweiser Joined Forces To Stop Drunk Driving

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Lyft and Budweiser are collaborating on a first-of-its-kind partnership that takes a bold stance against drunk driving.

The two brands are rewarding beer drinkers who #GiveADamn about driving under the influence by offering 5,000 Lyft rides each week through the end of this year.

The “Give a Damn. Don’t Drive Drunk.” initiative started Friday in New York, Colorado, Illinois and Florida on Anheuser-Busch’s seventh annual “Global Beer Responsible Day.”

Here’s how it works: Each Thursday at 2 p.m. ET, Budweiser will share a unique code on its Facebook and Twitter channels, which consumers 21 and over can enter into the Lyft app to claim a $10 free ride credit. This ride credit can be redeemed the following Friday and Saturday, between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, designed to be accessed when people are returning home after a night out. The first 5,000 Lyft users to claim these codes each week will have the chance to use them that weekend. This promotion is available to both new and existing Lyft users, and the claim and redemption periods will be extended during certain holidays.

Paige Thelen, Lyft’s communications manager, joined [a]listdaily to discuss why they joined the fight in promoting alcohol responsibility.

What is this partnership designed to accomplish for Lyft?

Budweiser and Lyft are committed to combating the issue of drunk driving by forming a partnership of this magnitude. Nearly 10,000 people are killed in alcohol-related driving accidents each year, accounting for 32 percent of all traffic-related deaths. Directed squarely at reducing drunk driving fatalities and making our roads safer, this is the first time a ridesharing and beverage company have come together to battle drunk driving at this scale.

What kind of a conversation can we expect with the #GiveADamn hashtag? How will you engage with consumers on social media? 

We hope to raise awareness of the issue of drunk driving by encouraging people to share why they #GiveADamn. Lyft will be actively participating in this conversation and sharing information via social handles so people know how to access the free rides from Lyft and Budweiser.

How did you decide on the markets of New York, Colorado, Illinois and Florida for the activation? What is Lyft trying to accomplish in those states?

These states fall on the top lists of states with the most drunk driving-related fatalities. They are also key markets for both Lyft and Budweiser.

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Should marketing through social responsibility be a top tactic for ride-hailing services and alcohol brands? Will we be seeing more partnerships between Lyft and beverage companies in the future?

No plans to share today, but we look forward to expanding this partnership with Anheuser-Busch to increase access to reliable late-night rides for people across the country. Drunk driving is an important issue to Lyft, but Lyft is also a solution. With this announcement, Lyft is the first ridesharing company to implement a multi-state, months-long program to directly impact this important issue facing America. This is also the first time a ridesharing and beverage company have come together to battle drunk driving at this scale.

What are you looking for when considering and negotiating logical brand partnerships? What is the “it” factor?

Taking care of our communities is something we truly believe in, and something that we work hard to do every day. Finding partners with shared values and visions is the best way to create a meaningful experience for customers, while also making the partnership work for the business. We apply this thinking to every partner that we work with. At Lyft, we are focused on giving passengers a safe, reliable transportation alternative to driving their own vehicle. And with Anheuser-Busch and Budweiser, we share a strong commitment to making our roads safer. In Anheuser-Busch we found a partner with a shared vision for a better world, and a shared mission to bring people together and reconnect communities.

Everyone loves a good coupon code. How do partnerships help Lyft compete with the likes Uber?

Millions of people rely on Lyft to get home safely after going out with friends. By expanding access to these rides and opening 80,000 free rides between now and the end of the year, we expect to see more rides on the Lyft platform—benefiting passengers, drivers and everyone on the road.

Follow Manouk Akopyan on Twitter @Manouk_Akopyan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DWWbTBBoWA

Coca-Cola’s Quest For Content Continues With JourneyxJourney

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When consumers take a digital stroll through Coca-Cola’s corporate website, they’ll quickly realize that it has the look and feel of a news website.

Well, that’s done by design, because in late 2012, Coca-Cola solely dedicated the company website around brand storytelling and reporting. “Journey” is staffed with a team of bubbly brand journalists who unbottle stories about the 130-year-old soda pop maker’s business.

Earlier this month, fresh off of winning social media gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Coca-Cola’s quest for content kicked into another gear with JourneyxJourney when two of their millennial social strategists embarked on a 21-day cross-country expedition across America all in the name of some good ole brand storytelling.

JourneyxJourney’s purpose is to “connect and co-create content for millennials” through the exploration of food, sports, music and culture. And they’re taking soda storytelling seriously—further evidenced by the company’s grand unveiling of their “mobile brand publishing unit,” which is equipped with production gear, cameras, filming drones and editing equipment, trailing along for the ride in a 40-foot long mobile home.

The road trip started September 13 in Coca-Cola’s headquarters in Atlanta and culminates October 5 in Los Angeles.

Doug Busk, Coca-Cola’s global group director for digital communications and social media, who directly oversees Journey and other social and digital channels and initiatives, joined [a]listdaily to detail their refreshing approach to storytelling.

What is JourneyxJourney designed to accomplish for the brand?

JourneyxJourney, much like everything we do on our digital magazine Coca-Cola Journey, will publish engaging stories of and around our iconic brands. We felt there was no better way to build those stories, and discover new ones, than a classic American road trip. On the very first day, in fact, JourneyxJourney received an invitation from one of brand Coke’s most dedicated fans, who invited us to visit his personal museum of Coca-Cola collectibles.

What is the story and narrative Coca-Cola is trying to convey?

Journey and JourneyxJourney seek to publish rich, share-worthy stories of all kinds about the company and our brands, to be sure, but, most importantly, people—our associates, fans and friends.

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What kind of a conversation can we expect with the #JourneyxJourney hashtag?

JourneyxJourney is a storytelling road trip and social networks represent the best way to publish our experiences real-time. You can track #JourneyxJourney on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and our newly launched Snapchat handle to experience the road trip with us.

Why is content creation in the form of this brand publishing initiative a prudent next step for Coca-Cola marketing?

We have a long history of storytelling at Coca-Cola and Journey’s brand journalism represents simply another chapter in that evolution. The Journey team, which is a part of corporate public affairs and communications at the company, partners with marketing teams to source some of our most compelling content.

What other marketing promotions are in store for the “mobile brand publishing unit” moving forward?

The mobile brand publishing unit is an element of the JourneyxJourney experiential experiment. We’re excited to see how JourneyxJourney pans out and plan to evaluate the next opportunity for the unit based on the success of the content generated by the road trip.

Emily Bucherati (left) and Meagan Priselac will spend three weeks on the read co-creating content on for Coca-Cola.
Emily Bucherati (left) and Meagan Priselac will spend three weeks on the read co-creating content on for Coca-Cola.

The content is slated to be published for audiences in real-time across Coca-Cola’s social channels. Where do influencers fit into your social media budget?

In the case of JourneyxJourney, our influencers happen to be our intrepid road trip reporters Emily Bucherati and Meagan Priselac—who, not coincidentally, happen to be Journey’s in-house social network strategists. Leveraging that expertise, they will publish real-time stories across our social media channels. More generally, Journey always aims to produce authentic content that has influence.

What is your overall marketing strategy for Coca-Cola Journey? How are you leveraging the digital media property to better connect with consumers?

Journey, as the company’s digital magazine, is but one of a wide portfolio of digital engagement paths at Coca-Cola. The common thread among all these efforts is to engage people, especially millennials, where they live, which, increasingly, is digital and social media. The primary aim of Journey’s content is always on engagement, so we’re constantly following our readers to find new, unique ways to share our stories.

Follow Manouk Akopyan on Twitter @Manouk_Akopyan

 

Sketchfab Explains What Virtual Reality Opens Up For Brands On Twitter

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Twitter has added Sketchfab 3D/VR viewer support, which brings 3D and virtual reality to tweets. This deal makes Sketchfab the sole provider of real­-time 3D and VR models on Twitter timelines and tweets globally, opening up its community of over half­ a ­million contributors and close to one million 3D and VR scenes to Twitter’s global audience.

In addition to allowing Twitter users to explore 3D models within a tweet, every Sketchfab embed is instantly viewable in VR at the tap of a button on iOS and Android mobile devices using viewers such as Google Cardboard and the Samsung Gear VR. Desktop users who own the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive can also launch directly into VR using a WebVR supported browser.

“We’ve developed our tech on the backbone of WebGL and WebVR to be as universal and hassle-free as possible, rendering on 99 percent of websites across browsers on both mobile and desktop,” Paul Chambers, head of communications at Sketchfab, told [a]listdaily. “In essence, we’re looking to be the defacto format for 3D/VR content, so breaking down barriers to sharing and embedding has been a core tenet of our company since the very start.”

Sketchfab previously inked deals with Facebook, Reddit, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Kickstarter and WordPress. It’s also going be the official 3D publishing partner of Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft HoloLens and Intel RealSense. These deals helped solidify this Twitter partnership.

“We’ve been working closely with Twitter for a number of years to make this happen,” Chambers said. “As we’ve built partnerships with all the other major players both on the sharing side and on the exporting side (for example, directly exporting to Sketchfab from 3D software packages and mobile applications), each new case built confidence in Twitter that we were the right company to commit to for 3D and VR delivery. We also needed to honor their development pipeline.”

Chambers has already seen brands interested in connecting with customers through virtual reality on Twitter. “Much like our native integration in Facebook in February 2015, we’ve seen brands eager to find ways to bring more engaging content to their fans’ news feeds and timelines,” he said. “A 360-degree spin of a consumer product is pretty well established at this point, so an opportunity to go beyond that into a fully interactive, and often animated and/or annotated brand experience has given them what they’ve needed to provide ‘thumb-stopping’ content.”

“Since we added VR support, every Sketchfab experience—no matter what platform it’s on—is also viewable in VR at the tap or click of a button,” Chambers explained. He also stated that it’s a big deal for brands looking to get their work into VR without needing to invest time and money in a limited audience app store or proprietary technology. “This allows brands to deliver 3D and VR content to consumers where they are,” he continued. “It’s as simple as pasting a link into a tweet. We’ve worked hard to ensure that sharing 3D and VR is as intuitive as sharing any other piece of content: a video, an image or a piece of audio.”

Sketchfab has already worked with multiple brands on its Facebook implementation, including Adidas soccer, Blizzard Entertainment for World of Warcraft and MTV, and virtual reality is just the beginning for Sketchfab integration on Twitter. At the end of June, Twitter hired former Apple designer Alessandro Sabatelli as the director of VR and augmented reality (AR).

“We’ve talked with Alessandro and suffice to say, you can expect to see news from Twitter on that front in the near future,” Chambers said. “And with Facebook backing Oculus, it’s safe to say that all the major social players see a future in which our social interactions will occur in VR and AR.”

Chambers stated that mobile VR has two things going for it: mass reach and mobility, meaning not being tethered to a larger processing device. “Google is certainly committed to a mobile-driven VR future,” he said. “Combine that with Facebook and Twitter’s investment in VR and AR on all fronts, and I think we’re going to see some very exciting news ahead of us in the next twelve months.”

Fandango Partners With Facebook To Sell Movie Tickets

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In a world where digital is king and fewer people are headed to the theater, Fandango is taking steps to make the traditional movie-going experience more convenient and social. Beginning this past weekend, Facebook users in the US can now purchase select movie tickets for titles like The Magnificent Seven, Storks and Kevin Hart: What Now? directly from their news feed.

“It’s not just about purchasing ease, it’s also about bringing along groups of people,” said Paul Yanover, president of Fandango, regarding the new feature. “Hey, we’re going to see this movie. Why don’t you come along? Great. Boom. Done.”

Although Facebook’s millions of daily users is a great way to reach would-be movie-goers, especially since it’s now an eCommerce platform, that’s not the only way that Fandango is hitting the social circuit. Fandango began allowing users of Apple’s enhanced iPhone messaging app last week to buy tickets directly from a text conversation. The ticket merchant is headed to Snapchat, as well.

“This is about Fandango appearing in these environments in an organic, natural way—the way people communicate with each other now, the way they actually discover, plan and buy,” Yanover said.

As younger audiences opt for digital experiences and one-stop shopping, Fandango is rising to the occasion, servicing about 27,700 movie screens in the United States and growing quickly. Ticketing revenue is up 51 percent compared with the same period last year, a Fandango spokesman told The New York Times. In 2015, Fandango grew by 81 percent and about 70 percent of Fandango tickets are sold on mobile devices.

“We’re really proud of our growth, and people will still come to us, but we’ve spent a lot of time watching how movie discovery and planning is changing,” Yanover said. “And I think these offerings we are unveiling are an important shift, not just for Fandango, but for Hollywood as a whole.”

How Brands Are Leveraging Snapchat Scavenger Hunts

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Snapchat scavenger hunts are rising in popularity as a means to engage audiences and create personal experiences within a brand space. This has proven an effective activation that results in an increase of followers and engagement as Snapchat users compete for prizes.

GrubHub

The Snapchat scavenger hunts began in 2014 when GrubHub hosted a week-long scavenger hunt contest dubbed “SnapHunt,” a first for any brand on the platform. Each day for one week, GrubHub posted a new challenge for followers to complete for a shot at $50 in free takeout. More than 30 percent of GrubHub’s Snapchat followers participated and the brand saw an increase of 20 percent in followers during the contest. In addition to larger contests, GrubHub also used the platform to provide additional value to followers every month through exclusive discount offers and giveaways.

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Delta

Snapchat users in Los Angeles can follow clues on Delta’s new Snapchat account along with its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as part of the ongoing “Dream Up, LA” campaign. The airline is gearing up for its relocation to Terminals 2 and 3 at LAX, taking steps toward a $1.9 billion plan to upgrade and connect the complex. To get consumers in the area excited, Delta is hosting a Snapchat scavenger hunt that offers opportunities to meet professionals from the fashion, music and culinary arts just to name a few.

“Delta’s ‘Dream Up, LA’ campaign celebrates hardworking, passionate Angelenos who aspire to achieve their dreams, whatever they may be,” said Ranjan Goswami, Delta’s vice president of western sales. “With Delta DreamHunt, we want to help turn some of these dreams into realities, by providing opportunities that take them one step closer to their goals.”

The clues will lead participants to landmarks throughout Los Angeles. Participants enter to win by taking a Snapchat of the landmark with a sponsored geofilter that will be available around the location, and then sending it to Delta’s Snapchat account. Participating celebrities included Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso, music duo Karmin and Chef Ray Garcia sharing clues each week on their personal accounts.

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Bloomingdale’s

The luxury department store chain implemented a scavenger hunt from September 3 to 5 on Snapchat to celebrate the fall launch of its “100 percent” campaign. Entrants have the chance to win a wide range of prizes such as concert tickets to Maddie & Tae, a meet and greet with Rebecca Minkoff during her upcoming fashion show, gift cards to Bloomingdale’s and a variety of fall products.

“Hiding hundreds of Snapchat filters at local stores around the country felt like a fresh take on a scavenger hunt or sweepstakes,” said Jonathan Paul, operating vice president of social media at Bloomingdale’s. “One of our insights came from Pokémon GO and that mobile user behavior. We thought that if we could gamify Snapchat geoflters we could connect with shoppers in a playful and creative way.”

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Baltimore Ravens

To kick off the 2016 NFL season, the Baltimore Ravens partnered with Miller Lite for the team’s “Countdown to Kickoff Week.” From September 6 to 9, the brand was engaged with fans through tailgate parties and opportunities to win tickets to the Ravens’ first game of the season last Sunday. The Ravens set up a scavenger hunt on Snapchat for fans to find at least one of six LED letters that spell “Ravens” around Baltimore. Those who sent pictures of themselves next to the letters and used the hashtag #FindTheFlock were entered to win tickets to the Miller Lite Flite Deck for the opening game.

Adidas

Adidas created a Snapchat scavenger hunt at the end of August in New York and Los Angeles to promote the brand’s line of NMD sneakers and a chance to win tickets to the The Last Encore music tour. Snapchat users had to find the Adidas Street team, marked by Adidas Snapchat street signs around the area. At the street sign, users were able to unlock a Snapchat geofilter while the Adidas street team shared information about Adidas NMD, a casual sneaker inspired by classic Adidas styles from the 1980s. The street team then directed them the Adidas Originals store to unlock a second geofilter, where both could be redeemed for a chance to win.

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Snapchat is a unique animal that forces marketing teams to get creative. Even though brands can now use more targeted marketing for Snapchat, activations like these scavenger hunts are a great example of frontline marketing through experiences.