Wetherspoon Unlocked

Ogilvy Action created the ‘Unlock Your Night @ Wetherspoon’ app to engage students who were early adopters of new technology but infrequent users of pubs. The app allows them to receive real time offers on food and drink while they are in Wetherspoon pubs, by scanning QR codes on bar mats and a range of POS displays. Pictures and video footage of their great nights can be linked to objects in a pub, so the Facebook friends of users can access them on subsequent visits to the venue.

Aurasma augmented reality software was used to flag up special offers when QR codes were scanned, with awareness of the necessary app raised by a campaign online and on campus in partnership with Studentbeans.com and Campus Media. Student ambassadors and eCRM were used to maximise the effectiveness of this activity, and subsequent follow up.

The app has been downloaded more than 8,000 times generating 55,000 promotional voucher downloads with a redemption rate in excess of 50%, driving a tangible increase in footfall by this difficult-to-attract group of consumers.

By embedding itself in the planning of great nights out, the app made those nights even better by offering unique value-added offers during the evening that helped spread the word – and pictures – of great nights out by direct links to social media channels.