Series A Funding, Veteran Leadership and New Major Accounts Among the Milestones for Mobile Coupon Pioneer Yowza!! in 2011
Company Names David Teichner CEO, Adds McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts and Others to Roster
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Dec. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 10 percent of U.S. adult mobile phone users redeemed mobile coupons in 2011, up from 6.5 percent in 2010, eMarketer says. Mobile couponing pioneer Yowza!!® played a key role in driving that growth while notching several milestones of its own, including a successful Series A funding round and landing major accounts such as McDonald's.
Yowza!! is a free, paperless, award-winning mobile couponing application designed to save consumers money by automatically delivering offers from nearby merchants based on the user's location. Millions of people use Yowza!! to get discounts from thousands of business locations across the U.S.
In 2011, Yowza!! achieved several major milestones, including:
-- Closed a successful Series A funding round featuring investors such as
Tech Coast Angels and Pasadena Angels.
-- Completed its executive team with the addition of David Teichner as CEO.
Teichner has nearly two decades of experience as a founder, CEO and EVP
at companies such as Channel M, Genco Advertising and PlayNetwork.
-- Signed up major brands such as McDonald's, My Gym, Dunkin' Donuts and
HMSHost.
-- Worked with American Express in Supporting the Small Business Saturday
Coalition by providing two free months of service and a 50 percent
discounted monthly rate to SMB merchants.
-- Launched Yowza!! on Android.
"Yowza!! was one of the most popular ways that nearly 20 million U.S. consumers received and redeemed mobile coupons in 2011," Teichner said. "By making it fast and convenient for consumers to get timely deals based on where they are, Yowza!! played a leadership role in rapidly transforming mobile coupons from a new, niche concept into a mainstream force in 2011. And with more than 79 percent of smartphone users interested in downloading mobile coupons, we're excited about what 2012 holds for Yowza!!"
By activating a smartphone's GPS to identify a shopper's current location, Yowza!! is able to deliver targeted local offers directly to the user through the application. When the Yowza!! app is opened, maps automatically show the user just how close money-saving deals are.
To further customize the user-experience, consumers can also save their favorite stores and opt-in to notifications when those retailers add a new coupon. Yowza!! coupons are environmentally friendly and easy to use; redemption simply requires that the user show the coupon on his or her phone to the cashier.
Yowza!! has become the platform of choice for merchants -- from large national brands and franchises to individual local businesses -- that are looking to easily manage their mobile coupons, offers and announcements. The Yowza!! system allows easy tracking, in-depth analytics, targeting features and much more. The company expects to expand to 300,000 businesses over the next three years.
About Yowza!!
Yowza!!® is the leading location-based mobile coupon, offer and announcement application, saving millions of consumers money on everyday purchases while increasing sales at more than 10,000 local and national retailers, including McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, Big 5 Sporting Goods and Guitar Center. Yowza!! provides a level of local relevance using location-based technology that consumers have learned to expect. Businesses have the capability to add and update offers in seconds, effectively track results and dramatically increase sales by reaching new and existing customers with compelling coupons and information. Yowza!! was co-founded by television and film writer/producer/actor Greg Grunberg (known for his roles in hit dramas Heroes, Alias and Felicity). For more information, visit http://www.getyowza.com,http://www.facebook.com/getyowza or http://www.twitter.com/yowza.