The Lead

foursquare's premise is simple - where Twitter asks "What are you doing" and gives you 140 characters to answer, foursquare asks "where are you," using SMS, the web, and an iPhone specific application to allow users to check in at various places. Billed as an "urban mix-tape," the idea is to help people in the 21 metro areas it's available in find new places to go and things to do, similar foursquare's precursor, Dodgeball. Like Twitter, you follow a set of friends and are kept updated on their movements through the service. In practice, here's how it works:

1. You check in (as shown in the screenshot below)
2. The service uses Twitter and the foursquare web site to let those who follow you know where you are and any comments you made about what you're doing there
3. If there are any other foursquare users there, their usernames will be included in the update

So far, it's nothing you can't do with a little extra typing in Twitter, right? That's where the insidious nature of the service starts - the points and badges. Yes, the same tactics that keep Boy Scouts going back for just one more clove hitch or sheet knot have caught the attention of hipsters throughout the U.S. You don't just use foursquare, you play it. Every time you check in on foursquare, you get points. And you can compare your points against your friends' on a personalized leaderboard, showing who has scored the most that week. Even more addictive, by accomplishing different feats involving checking in, you can score badges such as:

- The Explorer Badge - 25 check ins to unique venues
- School Night - checking in after 3 a.m. on a "school night"
- Gym Rat - checking in to a gym 10 or more times in 30 days

While this is only a small sample, the potential for marketers is enormous. First, foursquare allows you to identify the "mayor" of a particular venue - the person who checks in there the most. Many venues are already offering special deals for their respective mayors - from free drinks to discounted tickets and other perks. Partnering with foursquare on special badges associated with events, such as movie premieres, block parties, and other elements is certainly within the realm of possibilities as well. Plus, Twitter has proven that humanizing executives, especially at consumer products companies (Zappos being a great example) ties consumers closer to the brand and enhances loyalty - foursquare can provide an even more intimate window into the lives of company figures, creating tighter associations between a brand and a consumer's identity.