Why should brands care about Pokémon Go: Report by IPG Media Lab

Pokémon Go, a free-to-play location-based augmented reality mobile game, developed by Niantic and published by The Pokémon Company as part of the Pokémon franchise, was released worldwide on July 6, 2016, for iOS and Android devices. It has become a popular gaming sensation in less than a week of its release.

The mobile game uses GPS and cameras on smartphones to simulate the Pokémon catching experience from the older games in the real world. According to the report titled 'Ansible Mobile Insight: Pokémon Go', released by Ansible, the marketing solutions division of IPG Media Lab, Pokémon Go encourages players to explore their cities, and drive real world traffic for local businesses. The report goes on to talk about the emerging concept of 'Augmented Reality' which can be made use of by brands to augment consumer reach.

The report lists out in-game sponsorships, marketing opportunities, and social feeds as the means by which the game can help brands. The report also says that Augmented Reality can allow customers to envision products in a new way, as well as to launch digital experiences from signage or product packaging. The study also mentions how the game can be useful to retailers and features some frequently asked questions (FAQs) by brands regarding the game.