Cellphone in New Role: Loyalty Card

Loyalty cards — those little paper cards that promise a free sandwich or coffee after 10 purchases, but instead get lost or forgotten — are going mobile. And merchants are looking for ways to marry the concept to games that customers can play to earn more free items and, it is hoped, spend more money.

We love this article. It fits in with our mantra that everything is a game. Loyalty programs have always had game-like properties a game, so it makes sense that these be structured around digital and real world play. Don't be surprised if you are playing games while in the check out line of your favorite grocery store sometime soon. In some ways what we're seeing is simply a defined rule set which allows measured competition for activities that have always been played like a game.

Check out teh article and let us know what you think.