Pokemon Go could be next big marketing tool for retailers

TIL Desk/Business/New York-Pokémon Go, a mobile game that has rocketed to the top of Apple and Android app stores in record time, looks set to challenge young internet companies which specialise in increasing foot traffic for small businesses and may end up playing a role in major brands’ marketing, according to industry experts.

The augmented reality game from Japan’s Nintendo, where players walk around real-life neighbourhoods to hunt down virtual cartoon characters on their smartphone screens, has more than 65 million users in the United States just seven days after launch.

That is more users than Twitter Inc, and the game is already helping local restaurants, coffee shops and small retailers to attract new customers. Pokemon GO’s instant popularity appears to be the result of nostalgia for the classic 20-year-old cartoon franchise and players’ desire to win kudos within the game by capturing as many characters as possible.