One of 2011’s more engaging campaigns was American Express’s partnership with location-based social networking site foursquare. Featured in iMedia Connection’s Best Social Media Campaigns of 2011, this program allows users to access special discounts by connecting their American Express cards to their foursquare accounts. When foursquare users “check in” at participating businesses, they are offered credits for making purchases in that establishment.
A key difference between this campaign and other location based coupon campaigns, is that the discounts are automatically triggered – as long as the person pays with American Express. This eliminates the potential hassle of trying to redeem mobile coupons, a problem that has plagued similar efforts.
Throughout the year, American Express’s campaign expanded significantly, including the successful “Small Business Saturday” program, where users were offered a $25 credit for frequenting small businesses on November 26.