Just released this week, Dreamwalk is touted as “the mobile treasure hunt” and in essence, that’s pretty much what it is. It sort of equates to commercialized geocaching, but it’s really a pretty simple concept.
Dreamwalk uses GPS technology to show users where prizes, or “treasure,” is waiting to be discovered. If you decide you want to don your pirate hat and go in search of said treasure, you can use your iPhone as the treasure map and claim a prize of your own. A first of its kind, Dreamwalk has the potential to revolutionize mobile marketing while giving bargain hunters and freebie lovers a whole new experience.
If you’re wondering where the prizes come from, they are supplied by the various participating businesses. The current estimate of available prizes is a couple of thousand across the US, ranging from free fries and coffee to video cameras and a Nintendo Wii. Still in its early stages, developers at Dreamwalk Pty. Ltd. are setting the stage for more and more businesses to get involved and grow the number of available prizes.
This particular feat shouldn’t be difficult to accomplish given that businesses can quickly upload prizes to Dreamwalk’s global map through the Dreamwalk website, and offering something for nothing is a great way to get customers in the door.
So if businesses can get mobile marketing out of the deal, what do Dreamwalk users get? To start with, the app is free so there’s no cost to try it. After that, you can get free stuff. If you live in a large metro area, you’re in luck as that seems to be where the bulk of freebies waiting to be found and claimed are located. Seems New York, Los Angeles, and Washington DC residents have the best shot at finding real treasure, right now. In the midwest, Indianapolis has a few prizes on the map, as well as Cleveland, but pickings are pretty slim – at least for now.
There are three different ways to collect prizes, but they require real world hunting. There are instant prizes, collector stamps, and full blown treasure hunts. Instant prizes are exactly that – instant. Users move to the location on the map marked by a star and claim the prize. It is then automatically transferred to your “prize bag,” an on screen icon that you tap for instructions to instantly redeem your prize. These prizes tend to be smaller in nature, like food and cologne samples.
Collector stamps and treasure hunts require a bit more hunting, as users travel about to various locations to collect letter stamps that spell out words or gather clues to the treasure’s final location. Granted, you’d need some time on your hands to accomplish this, but a Mini Camcorder or Nintendo Wii aren’t a bad trade for goofing off for a day. Once located and claimed, prizes can be redeemed in-store, by email, or digital download depending on the prize.
If Dreamwalk takes off and the company is able to grow its user base and business participants, there could be a great deal of win-win going on for everyone. Businesses can market themselves to mobile users who live in or are visiting their area, and Dreamwalk treasurer hunters can grab the occasional cup of coffee or cheeseburger for free while having a little fun with their GPS. Guess a few lucky people could snag a cool gadget or two, also.
Dreamwalk has a simple interface with a thorough FAQ and help page for more information. You can’t claim a prize just because it shows up on the map – you have to actually go to its location – so those in smaller cities and towns or less densely populated areas would have to travel quite a distance to find even their first treasure. But as previously stated, it’s early yet and with luck, the map will soon be littered with stars in all areas. In the mean time, Dreamwalk is a free app and there’s no harm in keeping an eye out for prizes in your area.
