Guinness' Passport To Greatness

Guinness seems to be going through a phase of experimentation with mobile phones as a marketing medium. We had previously pointed out their mobile phone “Pub-Finder” application in celebration of St Patrick’s Day earlier this year, and it seems that a mobile element has also been incorporated by Guinness for their sponsorship of the Hong Kong Sevens Rugby Tournament.

The Passport to Greatness is another mobile phone application to help the estimated 20,000 overseas visitors to navigate the city and cope with the language barrier. The passport contains useful information about the tournament to be accessed via mobile. Fans can use their mobiles to discover match schedules, team selections, stadium information and a city guide to Hong Kong, as well as reviews of matches and maps, with locations of Guinness-serving establishments highlighted.

The application’s top feature, however, is the ability to broadcast key phrases in Cantonese through mobile handsets’ loudspeakers, to help visitors make themselves understood. The pre-progamed phrases include asking for numerous addresses around the city, including key stadium locations, directions to ATMs, and, of course, another round of Guinness please.