Digital marketing giant Valassis intros Facebook coupon app
The app, RedPlum Social Savings, allows consumers to access coupons and connect with brands without having to leave the social networking site, and provides companies with a way to “meet consumers in a fun, relevant, easy way.”
Valassis chief digital officer Jim Parkinson said: “The social world is the new frontier of consumer to brand connections, however, the opinions of those we trust will always have the highest impact.”
The company cited a poll conducted by marketing firm Crowdtap, which suggested 70% of consumers are influenced by their friends’ and family’s online suggestions, highlighting the importance of a strong internet and social media presence for brand marketers.
“Our social coupon app’s number one design goal is to allow any brand to connect to the right consumers in a sharable way,” Parkinson said. “The RedPlum Social Savings app allows great offers to get viral traction so consumers can receive them from both the brands and people they trust most.”
According to Valassis company NCH Marketing Services, coupon redemption has become a way of life for many Americans. US consumers redeemed 3.5bn coupons last year for total savings of $4.6bn – up 12.2%, or $500m, from 2010, it says.
Meanwhile, market research organization The NPD Group says that coupon apps are used by about 25m Americans every month, most frequently in households with children – and increasing numbers of consumers are using the internet and social media to connect with their favorite brands.
Among the features of the RedPlum Social Savings Facebook app is an option for consumers to load offers directly onto a store loyalty card, so savings appear automatically when the card is scanned at the checkout, and an option for advertisers to customize the app to access Facebook insights reports and analytics.
