Wetherspoon in push for special offers mobile app

Ogilvy Action has created a mobile augmented reality app, called Wetherspoon Unlocked, which delivers food and drink offers when the user scans point-of-sale material at 280 participating Wetherspoon pubs. It features image recognition technology developed by Aurasma.

The point-of-sale posters, which are marked by brightly coloured geometric-shaped stickers, carrying messages such as "Look closer" and "Question everything", will also be located on university campuses across the UK.

Each poster encourages people to download the app by either visiting an app store, texting a shortcode, or scanning a QR code.

The free app, which is available for iOS and Android, also allows users to tag pictures and videos of their Wetherspoon 'Big Night Out' to objects within the pub, which can be accessed by Facebook friends.

To obtain reach, Wetherspoon has tied up with student rewards business Studentbeans.com and university media company Campus Media, to deliver online advertising, an eCRM programme and campus POS, using student ambassadors.

John Hutson, chief executive of Wetherspoon, said: "Our pubs are extremely popular with students and we are confident that they will embrace the promotion.

"It is a fun and innovative way for our pubs to interact with students and for students to benefit when they visit their local Wetherspoon."