Food manufacturer McCormick & Co. is using foursquare this summer to interact with grillers and reward them by checking in to their backyards.

The company is rolling out the ?Masters of the Grill? campaign to engage with consumers, while they are grilling. In addition to foursquare, McCormick is also using Facebook and Twitter to get the word out about the campaign.

?We?ve launched a full range of new digital and social activities throughout the summer as part of McCormick?s commitment to reach, engage and reward avid grillers with flavorful ideas and inspiration directly through their social streams ? and a key focus is mobile,? said Jill Pratt, vice president of marketing for U.S. consumer products at McCormick & Co., Hunt Valley, MA.

?We know our fans are spending significant time in digital and social mediums and we are focusing on those areas to launch some exciting new initiatives aimed at connecting them in meaningful ways,? she said.

McCormick is a food manufacturer and produces  spices, sauces, marinades and dips.

Backyard bites
As part of McCormick?s summer mobile efforts, consumers can use foursquare to check-in to their backyards while they grill.

After consumers check-in, they can enter the company?s sweepstakes and vie for the glory of being the Grill Mayor.

To play, users must register their grill as a new place on foursquare.

Consumers can then check-in to their backyards to try to become the mayor of Hunt Valley, MA, which is where McCormick is headquartered.

As users check-in, they can win unique badges, including the flavor master badge and the cow appreciation badge.

The winner will become honorary mayor of Hunt Valley for one day and also receive a golden spatula and a prize pack of McCormick products.

?We know that grillers have a common passion to try new flavors and techniques at the grill, show their competitive spirit and share their successes with others,? Ms. Pratt said.

In addition to foursquare, McCormick is also using Facebook applications to reach out to consumers.

The Grill Circle app aggregates likes, comments, posts and photo tags from their friends who grill to create personalized Facebook circles. Users can then invite their circles to grill parties.

Family mobile
Lawry?s, which is owned by McCormick, is also launching the ?Digital Dinner Bell? campaign this summer geared at moms.

Consumers can browse recipes and keep tabs on their family via Facebook, SMS and phone calls.

The goal behind the campaign is to bring families together over the dinner table.

?We are excited to empower our fans and allow them to share their passion for flavor through social media and mobile marketing by sparking conversations, sharing ideas and photos, showing off their expertise at the grill in real time,? Ms. Pratt said.