How Indian companies are cashing on Pokemon Go craze

CHENNAI: An app that began as an April Fools joke has become a worldwide phenomenon, taking gamers out of their homes and onto the streets as they compete to capture and battle Pokémon characters from their smartphones. It’s been a month since Niantic developed its fiercely popular location based augmented reality (AR) game Pokemon GO and while several countries including India and China are yet to access the official version, avid gamers in India have accessed the packaged file and are intensely hooked on to it. Riding on this opportunity are several Indian companies like Fiona Solitaires and auto aggregator Jugnoo who have integrated with the game to draw customers and drive sales.

Jugnoo has integrated the game along with their app so that users can play while seated in an auto. “Pokemon Go is trending across the world and the nexus that we identified between our brand and the game is that – both have to do with travelling or be on the move. Our latest update will show all the Pokestops and Gyms in the city, which will help users plan their Jugnoo ride while playing Pokemon Go”, said Samar Singla, Founder and CEO, Jugnoo.

Marketers and industry experts perceive the game to be a great opportunity for brands because it brings the virtual and real world together.


Rohit Dadwal, managing director, Asia Pacific, Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) sees multiple sectors/businesses benefitting from the rage. Brick and mortar stores, QSR chains and hospitality sectors might be the first to reap benefits, he says besides any brand benefitting from in-app advertising. Given that the game involves walking, Dadwal sees health apps also benefitting from integrating with the game.

Mumbai-headquartered Fiona Solitaires is targeting serious Pokemon Go players i.e those who are in Level 10 and above who will get a 20% discount along with a Poke Rakhi. The jeweller typically sells jewellery in the range of Rs 30,000- Rs 2 lakh, has introduced items in the range of Rs 3000- Rs 10,000, to suit the budget and needs of a young audience. “We have witnessed 200% increase in footfall after we announced the offer last week. Our IVR has received a record number of calls the day after we announced the Pokemon Go offer. We are waiting to tie up with the game officially as soon as it launches in India,” said Parag Aggarwal, cofounder, Fiona Solitaires.

Visit based engagement and in-app sponsorships could work well with Pokemon Go users, say experts. “Pokemon Go players highly value in-game items such as lures, which attract rare Pokemons. Deploying such in-store lure modules that bring monsters to specific Pokestops for 30 minutes, can guarantee footfall. Due to the hyper local nature of the game, stores can reward users who capture Pokemons in-store or travel a certain distance to reach the store, “said Arun Pattabhiraman, vice president & global head of marketing, InMobi.

Mobikwik has launched a game Mobimon Go, modelled around the Pokemon Go game with various offers based on levels, Pokestops etc. Abhay Doshi, senior vice president-product and marketing, Flytxt says a lot is to be gained by merely using the Pokemon euphoria. “Auto deployed Pokestops at cafes, gyms or stores will capture traffic. Suddenly, a gathering of 50 people at a place is bound to attract attention,” said Doshi. A cafe in Mumbai has been releasing such modules from time to time, drawing a lot of customers in.