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Pokemon Go meets data desperation: 2degrees dumps 200 million megabytes of free data around New Zealand, invites Kiwis to collect it all

Mobile and broadband service provider 2degrees has taken a page out of the Pokemon Go playbook for its Christmas campaign this year.

The company has created an augmented reality game that enables mobile users to collect data bundles dropped throughout the country.

To play the game, users need to download the Data Hunt app, which provides hints as to where the bundles can be found.

2degrees marketing director Roy Ong says the data drop zones have been concentrated around summer hotspots, likely to be frequented by Kiwis over the holiday period.

The bundles distributed throughout the country vary in value, but those located in trickier locations are understood to be worth more. 

“We’re trying to bring the digital customer experience into our world, while rewarding our base customers with free data.”

However, the campaign isn’t only limited to 2degrees customers. Kiwis on other mobile networks can also collect the data, with the only catch being that they have to switch to 2degrees to redeem it.

“The data is stored on their user account, and as soon as they become a 2degrees customer, it’s theirs,” says Ong.

“This campaign is for all New Zealanders, but base customers will, of course, have immediate access.”

Given how easy it has become to switch mobile networks, and since consumers can keep their number, 2degrees will hope that this campaign gives a few Kiwis enough incentive to cross the floor.

And while the campaign certainly has similarities with Pokemon Go, Ong doesn’t necessarily see this as a bad thing.

He says that Pokemon Go, which has since tapered away, normalised this type of app—meaning that Kiwis are already familiar with how it works.

This is the third campaign 2degrees by Special Group released under Ong’s tenure.

The first focused on the company’s broadband offering through a series of quirky cartoon characters, while the second drew attention to its policy of carrying over customer data.      

Ong says that the latest campaign again focuses on data because, with the rise of music and video streaming, consumers now place greater value on this than call minutes or texts.

He says the ‘Data Hunt’ campaign will run throughout the summer months.   

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