Folgers has released a new alarm clock application to help consumers connect to the best part of waking up in a new way.

The Wakin? Up app is being released in conjunction with Folgers? launch of The Best Part, a social, interactive way to read positive news. The app will greet risers with upbeat tunes, good news and inspiring comments from The Best Part.

"Folgers wants to be an indispensable part of your morning," said Cezary Pietrzak, director of marketing at Appboy, New York. "By launching a mobile app, the brand is extending its presence from your first cup of coffee to the very moment you get out of bed.

"Folgers wants to transform mornings from something we dread to something we look forward to, something echoed in its long-standing slogan 'The Best Part of Wakin' Up'," he said. 

"Unfortunately, most alarm clocks are irritating with their loud, annoying sounds, lack of customization and functional interfaces. By introducing an app that features soothing sounds on the backdrop of idyllic photos, it makes morning more pleasant and less alarming." 

Mr. Pietrzak is not affiliated with Folgers. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Folgers did not respond to press inquiries.

The best part of waking up
Wakin? Up is meant to help consumers start their day in the right mood. Consumers will wake up to inspiring content such as a meaningful personal story or photo of an act of kindness.

Consumers can share the content via Facebook, Twitter or mail to brighten someone else?s day.

They can also choose from ten upbeat sounds to help them get up in the morning. Additionally, the app lets consumers check the local weather.

The Folgers alarm app is available for free download in Apple?s App Store and Google Play.

All of the content within the Wakin? Up app will come from The Best Part. Both consumers and Folgers will provide the posts for The Best Part.

The Best Part is accessible via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

An example of a post is a picture of a road towards the sunset with the phrase, ?A smile can go a mile.?

Mobile coffee
Folgers has long been innovating in the world of mobile.

Earlier this year, the company rolled out the Folgers Insta-Jingle app to let consumers customize the brand?s famous ?Best Part of Wakin' Up? jingle (see story).

Last year, Folgers created an app that let consumers create customized holiday messages, while also building up the company?s email database (see story).

While Folgers is doing a good job at releasing creative apps, other coffee producers are using mobile in other ways.

For example, the J.M. Smucker Company spiced up its ?Mug Up? promotion for Dunkin? Donuts packaged coffee by letting consumers enter via Instagram (see story).

Dunkin? Donuts also recently leveraged SMS to support its Eli Manning Campaign (see story).

"Mobile is similar to coffee in that it's personal and habit-forming," Mr. Pietrzak said. "Folgers is tapping into these insights to build an app that people will actually use, rather than running a one-off campaign.

"Every brand wants to be on mobile, and Folgers is no different," he said. "By becoming the first thing you reach for when you wake up, Folgers is making its brand top of mind for connected consumers - both in the pantry and at the checkout aisle."

Final Take
Rebecca Borison is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York