LaQuinta Inn, Chili's, Jack in the Box run location-based ads

By Dan Butcher

June 17, 2009

Mobile store locators drive foot traffic

LaQuinta Inn, Chili's and Jack in the Box are targeting consumers with location-aware ad campaigns on a social network powered by the new partnership between Centrl and Navteq.

Centrl has tapped Navteq, a provider of digital map data for location-based services and vehicle navigation, to enable its location-based social network with Navteq LocationPoint, a mobile location-based advertising service.

"Centrl is working on establishing the guidelines for the next-generation of how advertisers will best communicate with consumers," said Murat Aktihanoglu, founder/CEO of Centrl, New York. "We believe that geo- and behavioral-targeted messages will be the best way and will almost provide a 'benefit' to users because of the high degree of targeting.

"In this regard, we found Navteq to be a great match to what we are trying to do," he said.

"While most mobile ad networks are still at the ZIP-code level in terms of geo-targeting, we have worked with Navteq from the beginning to take advantage of Centrl's real-time rich interface and send offers to user in a very relevant way, right next to them."

La Quinta offers discounts to court mobile consumers

Available on the web, iPhone, Android and Blackberry, Centrl enables consumers users to access discount offers, keep track of their friends, communicate with them and access restaurant reviews, local event, real estate listings and nearby gas station.

Centrl's advanced social features such as login from social networks, virtual gifts and free text messaging engage users while they can also access numerous map layers with various content.

Centrl's interoperable location-based social network lets consumers connect with nearby places and people that match their interests on smartphones and social networking sites.

Navteq LocationPoint Advertising provides Centrl's location-aware application with content enabling advertisers to reach and engage consumers on their handsets, where and when they are making shopping and purchasing decisions.

For example, with NAVTEQ LocationPoint, Centrl users on-the-go looking for nearby friends and a place to meet can view offers from nearby merchants such as coffee shops and restaurants, in this case the nearest LaQuinta Inn, Chili's or Jack in the Box.

Consumers can display merchant locations on Navteq maps.

Merchant services and special offers can be advertised with graphical promotions and mobile coupons, as well as with calls-to-action including click-to-call, route and SMS.

The Navteq/Centrl partnership is designed to help advertisers drive awareness, store visits and purchases with interactive campaigns targeted to potential nearby customers.

The platform connects Centrl users with relevant local merchant information from shopping, restaurants and entertainment to gas stations, auto services, banks and ATMs via mobile promotions.

Centrl creates an environment where users can view targeted offers while they can also share these offers with their friends to spread them virally.

"The social element creates huge value for advertisers and also for users," Mr. Aktihanoglu said. "You don't need to print or clip anymore offers, you can just show the merchant the details and the coupon page to enjoy the offer.

"Navteq has a very strong brand and they are visionaries in how mobile advertising can be best improved to become a powerful messaging medium," he said. "We very much enjoy working with Navteq on optimizing our system both from the advertisers and users point of view.

At the moment advertisers can mainly target consumers depending on their location.

"We are working on expanding the capabilities of the platform to include more targeting parameters," Mr. Aktihanoglu said. "Currently Navteq is building up an impressive list of clients for their LocationPoint platform and we are very happy to assist them in this."