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Southwest Airlines, Gilt City tap location-based app to reward consumers

Southwest Airlines, Gilt City and TiVo are just some of the brands that are using Loopt?s new mobile reward alerts in an effort to bring more relevancy and immediacy to consumer experiences.

The companies are testing out the new Reward Alerts feature during the South by Southwest Interactive show on March 11-15. Loopt has set up an Austin, TX-based Moving Rewards wagon where brands are giving out more than $45,000 in rewards.

?These brands were interested in being part of the Rewards Wagon at SXSW Interactive is an extremely captive audience, and this is a really easy and fun way to interact with them,? Sam Altman, cofounder/CEO of Loopt, San Francisco.

?Each of the brands tailored their giveaways to this crowd, and we've already been hearing a lot of excitement for the coming giveaways,? he said.

Loopt produces mobile applications that let users discover the world around them, and find and enjoy the friends, places and events around them right now.

How it works
The new Reward Alerts feature is integrated into the Loopt?s mobile application for iPhone and Android devices.

Users can download the application and check-in anywhere in Austin during the SXSW show.

Additionally, the Reward Alerts should be kept on. Loopt users in the area will be notified of the rewards locations the moment they happen.

Each notification informs users where to go and what to do to get the special prize.

?This is just one step in our efforts to make the location experience more real-time, social and relevant,? Mr. Altman said. ?This goes for both consumers and businesses.

?As a smartphone user, I want information to come to me, I want it to be actionable ? should I choose to take action ? and I want it to be super simple,? he said. ?As a business owner or brand, you can really color in the dotted line between online and in-store engagement.

?The immediacy of the Reward Alerts moves us in that direction ? mobile engagement directly followed by in-person interaction.?

Brand awareness
Fox Broadcasting is giving away a X-Factor gift bag , Gilt City is giving away a $25 gift card, TiVo is rewarding users with a one year service, OkCupid is offering a 3-month membership and Southwest Airlines is rewarding users with free roundtrip tickets.

The first Reward Alerts will go live in March for upcoming deals featured in the Loopt application.

?We're communicating with our users via the Loopt app, email and through our social media channels,? Mr. Altman said. ?For the debut Reward Alerts in Austin, TX, we want Loopt users in Austin to know how to get the rewards and also our Loopt users who are traveling to Austin.

?Plus, for those who don't have Loopt already, our Rewards Wagon partners, which include very cool brands and hot tech and marketing authors ? like Gary Vaynerchuk, Hugh McLeod, Guy Kawasaki and Tony Hseih ? will communicate their participation out their fans, friends and follower,? he said.

?Reward Alerts is one of our first steps this year to incorporate more real-time, social elements into location-based services. There's so much potential for these types of features in the mobile experience.?