Brief:

• MillerCoors is the first alcohol marketer to test out self-service audience segments from location data provider Foursquare. These deeper insights could help the brewer determine how to reach consumers with programmatic ad buys on mobile devices, according to an announcement shared with Mobile Marketer.
• For the first time, Foursquare's Pinpoint audience segments are available for self-service from Trade Desk, the demand-side platform for computerized ad buys. Brands and publishers can now access 450 categories of anonymized audience groups such as "chains/brands," "loyalists" and "lifestyle affinities."
• MillerCoors will use Foursquare's audience segments on its "Pre-Shop" campaign to reach consumers in convenience stores and on-premise sales at bars and restaurants. Those businesses don't aggregate data in a way that helps the brewer learn more about its customers, Brad Feinberg, MillerCoors' VP of media and consumer engagement, told AdExchanger.

Insight:

MillerCoors is among the brands seeking greater insights into the effectiveness of their ad buys on mobile platforms. Location-based ads are one of the most promising ways for brands to reach the right consumers at the right time, or as close to the point of sale as possible. Because a significant portion of MillerCoors' business happens in small convenience stores, bars and restaurants that don't collect valuable customer data, a mobile marketing strategy that relies on location data may help the brand to reach a focused group of consumers and drive sales.

Foursquare's opt-in location data are anonymized to maintain consumer privacy, which has become a key concern among mobile users who don't want to be tracked. AT&T and T-Mobile this month said they will stop providing the real-time locations of individual U.S. consumers to data resellers after a report indicated sensitive personal information is easy to get without informed consent. Sen. Ron Wyden renewed his call for the Senate to adopt his proposed legislation to ban carriers from selling mobile subscribers' location data.

The ability to provide anonymized location data has made Foursquare an attractive partner with a variety of marketers. Hilton last year teamed with Foursquare to add a feature to its rewards app that gives the hotel chain's loyalty members access to employee suggestions of restaurants, attractions and neighborhoods for guests to visit. Foursquare in September said more than 50 million people who have used its apps have provided more than 95 million tips about places to visit.