Before you get excited, it is not available in SA, and if you are living in the U.S: the deal comes with the usual cell phone purchase fine-print. The free Android phones come with a 2-year contract and all the usual admin that goes along with getting a new phone. Credit checks, fees etc.
The phones are not available in store, so you don’t get them as a side order (wouldn’t that be cool), the offer is available online and customers are routed through Amazon to get their ‘free’ phones – with T&C’s. Customers can get access to the phones on bk.com/android — using the promo code FREEPHONE.
Once a customer acquires their new phone, their email address is requested, and they are encouraged to download Burger King’s app.
Obviously the idea is to get more customers to use the new Burger King App (not available in SA yet). The App offers coupons, a restaurant locator, a menu, and mobile payments for certain locations. Certainly not ground-breaking – but if you are a fan of Burger King (and there are millions of you) – why not download it?
All of the major US carriers (except T-Mobile) are participating in the promotion and the selection of phones on offer include the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4, Motorola’s Moto X, Casio G’zOne Commando and the LG Enact.
Although this offer is not available to South African Burger King fans – we wonder if the promotion will give Burger King the desired results and the deal will be extended to other countries and carriers.
Apps seem to be the way forward with restaurants, food sites and food chains in this exploding mobile market. According to studies most people with smartphones use Apps to find a place to eat. And over 80% of those searches are converted to visits within the hour.
Clearly it’s not the deal of the century, as you can see, but is it a clever marketing ploy?
What are you thoughts?