Foursquare, a location based social network that incorporates gaming elements, signs a deal with restaurant rating guide Zagat. Zagat is calling the partnership, “Foodie Love,”. The Foursquare/Zagat feed serves as a platform for users to share recommendations of menu items with other members. Foursquare’s media and entertainment mix now includes Zagat, Warner Bros., HBO, the History Channel and ExploreChicago.
Allison Mooney on Ad Age is reporting that Foursquare is also signing deals with Warner Bros. and HBO. MG Siegler writes , These new deals can only help them as they bring the type of mainstream appeal that it took services like Twitter so long to find… And the Zagat deal is interesting in that it goes beyond simply offering food and restaurant recommendations. The service plans to have a weekly web video series entitled “Meet The Mayor” in which they interview the Foursquare “mayor” of a restaurant in their guide…
According to Kim-Mai Cutler The deals give Foursquare a line of revenue and better content offerings at a time when the space is becoming increasingly cutthroat. The features Foursquare popularized like badges, mayorships and “check-ins,” where you temporarily share your location with friends, have been copied by several other competitors. At the same time, there’s a looming threat that the app’s popularity will become overshadowed by bigger companies like Yelp and even Facebook itself if its releases its own competitive features.
Zagat:
Web: http://www.zagat.com/
Twitter: @zagatbuzz
Zagat Survey is now the world’s leading provider of consumer survey-based information on where to eat, drink, stay & play worldwide. Zagat Survey has become the world’s most trusted source to help consumers make informed decisions about restaurants, nightspots, hotels, attractions and other leisure activities.
Foursquare:
Web: http://foursquare.com/
Twitter: @Foursquare
The location-based service incorporates a game-like element, whereby users can “check in” to a location, such as a hotel or restaurant, in order to earn “badges” and become the “mayor” of a certain place. Allows users to connect with friends and share their location, has attracted investment from high-profile backers, including Kevin Rose, founder of Digg, and Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter.
ZAGAT + Foursquare = Foodie Love, Foursquare community together with ZAGAT’s dining expertise. Now Foursquare users can benefit from official ZAGAT tips, show they love food by unlocking the new foodie badge and have opportunities to be featured on ZAGAT.com with our new “Meet The Mayor” series.
