Pokemon Go players are an extremely receptive target for retailers, according to the results of a survey of smartphone users conducted by marketing communications agency MGH.  Among the findings of the survey were:

38% of Pokemon Go players were likely to purchase a Pokemon-themed product

60% of players were likely to enter a business offering Pokemon-branded discounts to players

60% viewed businesses hosting Pokemon promotions favorably

One of the survey results most amazing to us was that 94% of smartphone users are aware of Pokemon Go.  That’s 23% more than the 71% of Americans who could correctly identify the nation’s Vice President in a 2011 Newsweek survey.

The demographics of the respondents are instructive, and somewhat surprising.  As one would expect, 56% of people that have downloaded the game are between 18 and 29.  But surprisingly, female respondents were slightly more likely to purchase a Pokemon product. 

The survey was conducted of smartphone users ages 18-55 in July (the game launched in early July, see “’Pokemon Go’ Blows Up at Launch”).

There are a number of ways that retailers can use the game to improve sales (see “’Pokemon Go’ and Stores” and “Rolling for Initiative – Go, Pokemon Go”), but the most basic seems to be to offer Pokemon merch, as much of it as you can get, in visible locations in the store.