Gannett’s popular Key Ring reward cards app adds inMarket’s M2M iBeacon platform

I’ve written about inMarket’s iBeacon marketing platform called Mobile to Mortar before. Condé Nast recently announced its integrated the platform into its Epicurious app, and now the Gannett Company’s popular Key Ring shopping and reward cards app is doing the same.

inMarket’s Mobile to Mortar™ (M2M) — the world’s largest beacon platform — enables phones to recognize immediate surroundings in “smart locations” and awaken content when shoppers need it, adding concierge value to the retail experience. inMarket’s beacons use proprietary, secure Bluetooth Low Energy and geofencing to provide apps with a new level of micro-location awareness. Combined with Key Ring’s loyalty graph data that monitors millions of in-store transactions a month, this technology creates a cutting edge shopper marketing solution providing advertisers with unfettered access to shoppers in-store… The integration of cutting edge beacon technology into Key Ring allows brands and advertisers to not only reach shoppers at the point of purchase but provide consumers with valuable content as they shop. Branded content will be seamlessly combined with the shopping toolkit to drive purchases in-store.

InMarket installs iBeacons in retailers (mostly grocery stores so far) and allows everyone from app developers to brands on the store shelves to take advantage of the tech. That means that users of the Epicurious app, apps from brands within the store, and now the Key Ring app will all be able to receive in-store notifications and promotions in the over 200 stores and growing that currently use InMarket’s platform. The Key Ring app, which has over 10 million users, is just the latest of inMarket’s partners. Here’s a look at what in-store notifications will look like inside the app:

The company says it’s currently reaching 40 million mobile shoppers and some of its clients include Coca-Cola (as pictured in one of the iBeacon Key Ring promotions pictured above), Kraft, Levi’s, Nestlé, and Procter & Gamble.

The platform is already in some big name stores like Safeway and Giant Eagle across San Francisco, Clevland and Seattle, and it’s currently expanding in New York, Boston, and Miami. We’re also hearing from sources close to the projects that a major expansion is planned for this month which will greatly increase the 200 locations currently using M2M.