Even "Bloomies" Gets It

It's actually a brilliant marketing ploy.  (h/t to Luxury Daily)

Take something that evolved from ancient folk games, and was so popular in the pre-WWII era that a "culturally significant" 1936 movie ("My Man Godfrey") is preserved in the National Film Registry), and create an interactive shopping experience resulting, Bloomingdale's hopes, in an emotional connection.

It's brilliant because its so unexpected.  At least, it is to me.  Sure, "brands" (a brewing company, an auto manufacturer, and even an airline)  have already done interactive scavenger hunts.  The first "internet scavenger hunt was in 1992.  And movies and TV series have done interactive scavenger hunts.  But this is... Bloomingdale's.

Bloomingdale's was around when Gossip columnist Elsa Maxwell made scavenger hunts popular in the early 1930s.  If there were ever a prime example of an "old school" "old economy" "flagship" company, Bloomingdale's has GOT to be close to, if not at, the top of the list.

Bloomingdale's.  Using a microsite.  With a hashtag (#BloomiesHack).  Using social media.  Heavily.  Integrating smartphones, because someone - at Bloomingdale's - who lives in, and knows he or she works in, the 21st Century, understood that in-store mobile phone usage while shopping is commonplace. That an interactive scavenger hunt would get Bloomingdale's into the participating consumers’ phones.

"The other guys" might still have their parade.  "They" might have "an in" (or even a relationship) with an "old school" "old economy" "flagship" broadcast media company.   But Bloomingdale's has definitely stepped up the game.

And it's IMPORTANT that local small businesses understand that marketing technology - "martech" - makes it possible for them to do the same thing, and engage their customers through their customers smartphones.  That they can reach their customers with Mobile Coupons; give their customers Mobile Rewards; make their customers Mobile members; have a Mobile (or mobile "friendly") website; offer WiFi (especially, Social WiFi).

They don't have to have Bloomingdale's square footage, or even a Bloomingdale's budget, to be as impressive as Bloomingdale's is with this.

For more on mobile search & research, click here. Smartphone content, click here, or here, here, and here.  Engagement, here, here, and here.  Social media, here.