SPG ties up with Foursquare, 250pt bonus & free nights promotion

[thewinchester]

For those who've not caught this yet, SPG has launched a new program offering bonus points and free nights promotion for users of the Foursquare platform.

From SPG:

Now you can collect more than just badges on foursquare. You can earn bonus Starpoints® for your foursquare check ins when you connect your SPG® and foursquare accounts.

Check in for Bonus Starpoints

Earn 250 bonus Starpoints when you check in via foursquare with a confirmed reservation at one of more than 1,000 Starwood hotels and resorts now through July 31, 2011.

Check in for a chance to win Free Resort Night Awards

Every check in via foursquare through May 31, 2011, is also your chance to unlock a Free Resort Night Award hidden daily throughout some of our more than 1,000 hotels and resorts. And, with each foursquare check in through July 31, you'll be entered to win a resort getaway, including five Free Resort Night Awards and airfare.

For more details, promotional terms, and to keep up with all the current offers, visit SPG.com/foursquare.

A quick read of the T&C's seems to suggest that up 250pt bonus can be earned once every 24hrs, where the member has linked their SPG & Foursquare accounts, and has a confirmed reservation at the property.

If you're not a fan of social location platforms but are pining for some additional points during some upcoming SPG stays, then sign up for just the promotion, check in only at the SPG properties, and then dump the service when it's over.

 

[k_sheep]

Can't say I understand what use that thing is unless you are seeking a stalker, but hey, points is points Joined.

 

[JohnK]

I really am struggling to understand what any of these promotions are trying to achieve.

So I have a stay at an SPG property and I check-in for the stay using FourSquare. How do I get my room number and room key? Do I still need to see a human at the hotel? Other than 250 points what have I gained by using FourSquare to check-in? Why even use FourSquare to check-in? I know these may sound like really stupid questions but I simply do not understand and perhaps it is best that I do not understand.

Is FourSquare like Twitter and Facebook? I am sure this is another stupid way for "social networking sites" (and I use that term very loosely) to get more members.

 

[Mal]

Is FourSquare like Twitter and Facebook? I am sure this is another stupid way for "social networking sites" (and I use that term very loosely) to get more members.

I'm a poor explainer for this type of service, but here's the summary (I know others here use it extensively!)

FourSquare is a form of social networking. You "check-in" to locations (eg Central station Brisbane), and can find people also there.

It has nothing to do with "checking in" to hotels and getting room keys.

 

[oz_mark]

I really am struggling to understand what any of these promotions are trying to achieve.

I don't really understand the business justifications behind some of these promotions...

So I have a stay at an SPG property and I check-in for the stay using FourSquare. How do I get my room number and room key? Do I still need to see a human at the hotel? Other than 250 points what have I gained by using FourSquare to check-in? Why even use FourSquare to check-in? I know these may sound like really stupid questions but I simply do not understand and perhaps it is best that I do not understand.

You will need to do the normal physical check-in at the hotel.
Four square provides and electronic or virtual check-in. In essence it just is an entry about where you are, and lets your friends see where you are. It also will show how many others are checked in at the location.
On top of that, there may be special offers around the area that you check in to, and you can get a list of these.

None of this has anything to do with actually checking into the property!

From the user perspective, you are getting the points.

From Starwoods point of view, well they can get a lot of info:

You acknowledge and agree that Starwood may receive the following data from Foursquare: your name, email address, SPG number, Foursquare user ID, Foursquare user type, Foursquare venue history, Foursquare user badges and mayorships and check ins at Starwood venues and other venues. To view or learn about Foursquare’s privacy policy, visit www.foursquare.com.

Is FourSquare like Twitter and Facebook? I am sure this is another stupid way for "social networking sites" (and I use that term very loosely) to get more members.

FourSquare is probably closest to the Places functionality within Facebook.

 

[JohnK]

FourSquare is a form of social networking. You "check-in" to locations (eg Central station Brisbane), and can find people also there.

Four square provides and electronic or virtual check-in. In essence it just is an entry about where you are, and lets your friends see where you are. It also will show how many others are checked in at the location.
On top of that, there may be special offers around the area that you check in to, and you can get a list of these.

Thanks. I think that explains it well. It sounds like an excellent medium for a stalker to track your movements.

 

[thewinchester]

I really am struggling to understand what any of these promotions are trying to achieve.

Simple answer - data.

This is a low cost means whereby for a minimal spend (10-50k), a company can use existing networks populated by its consumers to extract a deeper layer of data, demographics and profile.

Data from a marketing perspective wins battles. The information they will garner from this will give them insights into their customer even deeper than they ever have achieved before (as they'll be able to identify frequent customers more readily, and analyise where they go to to build better profiles for targeting), etc.

Or in short, this is a goldmine of legitimate, legal information that consumers are already actively sharing. Why not use it to do business (eg running their loyalty program) cheaper and achieve better returns for everyone (customers, hotels and Starwood) alike.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Just checked into a participating hotel on 4sq, worked well. Let's see how long points take to post, and if it's 250 pts per day or up to the maximum number of nights in the reservation, or 250 once off per res.

 

[k_sheep]

Something concerning about that app though is it can't really be turned off! I'm finding it's always running in the battery, and isn't doing my battery life much good.

 

[elbarto]

Something concerning about that app though is it can't really be turned off! I'm finding it's always running in the battery, and isn't doing my battery life much good.

What kind of phone do you use? I find it running on my Blackberry usually after I work out I haven't closed it properly.

 

[k_sheep]

HTC desire 2 with android.

No dramas - I'll just be uninstalling it after this promo