Jeep is letting adventurous consumers plan their next journey and share it with friends using the company?s new branded iPhone application.

Using TripCast, consumers can share an electronic scrapbook with friends. In addition, the company is incorporating social media in the application by letting users upload photos, video, audio clips and status updates to Facebook and Twitter. 

?The strategy is to reach out to an array of consumers - both current and potential customers - who have a sense of adventure and may enjoy sharing their adventures with others,? said Todd Goyer, head of Jeep brand communications at Chrysler Group, Detroit.

?The idea is to expose these consumers to adventure and to the Jeep lifestyle,? he said. ?Broadly, we are reaching out to anyone with a sense of adventure that may wish to use this app on their vacations, for example, in order to document and share with friends. 

?We recognize many of these consumers are active in the social media arena and may be in a younger age demographic.?

The Jeep application lets the user?s family and friends follow their trip in realtime via the Web at http://www.jeeptripcast.com or an iPhone.

Outdoor plans
Additionally, there is a Points of Adventure feature that offers more than 250,000 outdoor recreation spots in the United States.

Users can also save and view trips ? theirs and their friends.

?In the coming days and weeks we will implement a variety of communications tactics to further get the word out, including a broad social media push,? Mr. Goyer said.

The application is compatible with 3G, 3GS and 4G iPhones.

Here is a screen grab of the Map Settings feature:

Mobile adventures
Users can also track their path, let others track their path and be notified when a friend is in the area so that they can coordinate a chat.

In addition, users can create playlists and listen to music while using the application and create a personal user profile and customizable Jeep avatar.

Here is a screen grab of the Share Trip feature:

?The app is intended for customer use and enjoyment and not as a platform for advertisers,? Mr. Goyer said. ?We are looking into expansion opportunities but do not have anything particular to announce at this time.?

Final Take
Here is a demo of the application