Weeks after its formal launch in Asia, the Pokémon GO craze here in the Philippines has reached greater heights. To grasp the massive effects it has brought, CIIT, a mobile app development school, did a study and here are the findings.
1. Many Pokémon GO-inspired businesses sprouted in an instant.
Soon after game launch, many Filipinos already took advantage of the craze and came up with Pokémon GO-inspired business concepts.
• Personal Drivers
Business people now offer “Uber-style” rides for trainers who hate walking around. At a certain rate per hour, your private chauffer will drive you around PokéStops and gyms giving you a safer, more convenient playing experience.
• Pokémon-Inspired Products and Promotions
Local stores are creating Pokémon-inspired offers or promos to draw more customers. Likewise, from free food to overnight stay, owners are posting promos on their social media accounts.
• Power Banks and Accessories
Since the game drains the phone’s battery quick, power banks are becoming in-demand. They’re handy in juicing up your phone and come in fun designs like PokéBalls. Rainproof phone cases are becoming a hit as well because the rainy season has already started in the country.
• Rent-A-Wi-Fi and Tether Hotspots
To play the game, trainers need to connect by way of Wi-Fi or mobile data. Since your Wi-Fi isn’t handy while hunting and broadband sticks are a bit expensive, houses and stores near stops and gyms offer hourly rentals of Internet connection.
2. Malls and other surprising locations turn into gyms and PokéStops.
Aside from pocket monsters, trainers, too, need to search for gyms and game stops to get items and battle against each other. From malls to churches to shrines, trainers can find them most anywhere.
• Major Malls
Major malls including SM, Greenbelt, Eastwood Mall, Glorietta, and Venice Grand Canal Mall have PokeStops and gyms inside. The game makers have set a few of them while others were from the owner’s own request. They host lure parties to attract more customers into their shops, too.
• National Landmarks
Aside from malls, known landmarks such as the EDSA Shrine, Luneta Park, Malacañang Palace, and unlikely places as funeral homes and train stations also became stops and gyms.
3. “Hugot posts and Pinoy Memes” about Pokémon Go are now viral in various social media sites.
Pinoys are innately witty and humorous that they even find a way to relate their emotions and puns with the current game craze.
• Hugot Posts
From Facebook to Twitter, these “#PokémonHuGOt” posts and tweets are slowly becoming viral due to their relatable lines, especially among broken-hearted people.
• Pinoy Memes
Since memes are famous on social media sites, Pinoys created PokéMemes as well to make the “hugot” more funny or dramatic.
CIIT Philippines is a mobile app development school that offers degree and specialist courses. For more of the latest news and updates on Pokémon GO, go to our blogs page.
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Sources: kami.com.ph | spot.ph | philippinesnow.org | manilashopper.com | spot.ph | spot.ph | news.abs-cbn.com