Grown Up Thinking

You can almost hear the sound of rubber balls bouncing around the walls of Mr Youth these days, as the epic battle to reign supreme in all things #Foursquare has swept the agency. Our resident mayor recently explained the craze in an earlier post, but developments over the weekend have added a new dimension to the biggest game on the social media scene today.

I was gleefully surprised to receive an email from Foursquare notifying me that I had been upgraded to “Superuser” status based on my, well, super (over)use of the service. While the lack of a VIP card, limited edition sunglasses and other self-identifying accoutrement is slightly disheartening, I was informed that I have the ability to make  edits to the game’s venue database, like de-duplicating venues and matching venues with twitter accounts. The more I exercise my Superuser status the more abilities I’ll unlock.

Foursquare is really hitting the mark when it comes to tapping into its enthusiastic fanbase to drive and improve the game. By inviting users into the fold and allowing them to affect elements of the service, they’re fostering deeper loyalties and creating layers of exclusivity that encourage would-be-Superusers to increase their usage of the game to reach the great heights of Superuser status. Lucky me. Question is…how do I translate this into a Halloween costume?

Where my other Superuser peeps at? Holler below in the comment section.

Brands have been scrambling to come up with iPhone applications that both add value to consumers’ lives and help drive basic business goals.  Some, like the Zippo app, are more awareness plays, while others are more successful at bringing the product to life within the device’s interface and actually driving sales.

One of the cooler apps that I’ve come across recently was just released by Benjamin Moore. Well, actually very similar apps have come from both Benjamin Moore and category rival Sherwin-Williams. These apps allows you to take a photo using the iPhone’s camera and match the colors in the image to the colors in the manufacturer’s paint catalog. If you want to get even more design savvy, shake the iPhone to reveal coordinating colors to complement the color matches.  Smartest of all, these apps usee the iPhone’s LBS capabilities to locate the nearest retailers to purchase the paint.

Which app is better I’ll let my dear readers decide.  Either way, these apps represent  a perfect marriage of utility and engagement. They tap into the consumer’s creative inclinations and uses the iPhone’s core functionality to bring their inspirations to life.  Thankfully, now I can finally figure out how to match the walls in my apt with Keyboard Cat’s dress.

Thanks bookof joe [via geeksugar]