Designs underway for loyalty app with rich game play

22 February 2013 – For immediate release

Designs underway for loyalty app with rich game play for US giant

First Star Communications, a Wellington-based retail communications agency is making its mark on the global stage as international big businesses look to embrace mobile technology to engage customer loyalty.

Already with established clients in the USA, Australia and New Zealand, First Star Communications Is now deploying staff to the United Kingdom to work with new customers In London.

A "quiet achiever", First Star has a strong focus on combining its retail loyalty and promotional specialisation with gaming and technology to create new ways of connecting brands with customers - both in and out of the store.

In its latest project for a US client, First Star Communications is designing a new loyalty based smartphone app that includes multiple gaming options that reward customers for repeat store visits, with both real world prizes and virtual currency.

First Star Communications Director Adam Blackwell says the convergence of loyalty programmes and mobile gaming presents an exciting opportunity.

"This concept is all about giving consumers a fun experience while at the same time encouraging them back to the store. It's a way of adding value to the shopping experience but it also has significant and very measurable benefits for the retailer.

"This kind of promotional tool is adaptable to a range of businesses both here in New Zealand and overseas, with the principles of customer engagement and technology easily transferable to other retail operations," Blackwell says.

First Star is another example of how global businesses are connecting to the creative and technology skills they need, without geographical or cultural barriers getting in the way.

"We've found that the challenges our US and UK customers face are the same as what New Zealand retailers talk about," says Adam. "And the great thing we can bring to the party is an understanding of both cultures. We 'get' them much more than we used to which means we can not only talk business very fluidly, we can also speak in their brand voice to their customers in a way that seems very natural to us. We're not as weird as we think we are!"

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