The new mobile application and QR code initiative is part of the company’s 21st Annual First Day of Spring Free Ice Giveaway celebration. Free Ice day takes place on March 20 and consumers will receive a free Ice in a limited edition cup.

“Rita’s has unveiled a new mobile loyalty application, Rita’s Rewards,” said Jonathan Fornaci, chief executive officer of Rita’s Italian Ice. “Rita’s Rewards allows guests to earn rewards for their purchases, write reviews and share their happiness on social networks.

“Guests can download the Rita’s Ice application on their smartphone and earn a free regular Italian Ice on their 8th visit,” he said. “Our Guests asked us to develop a fun Rita’s app so we built Rita’s Rewards for smartphone users and plan to continue enhancing it to include a Rita’s Italian Ice Factory game coming this spring.

“Our new Rita’s Rewards loyalty program provides guests the ability to share their happiness with their friends through social channels.”

Building loyalty
The Rita’s Rewards mobile loyalty app lets consumers earn rewards for their purchases, write reviews and share it all via social networks.

The app is available for free download in Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

Furthermore, the Rita’s Rewards loyalty app uses Punchh technology and lets consumers earn a free regular Italian Ice on their 8th visit.

The company is also implementing QR codes into its marketing strategy, as part of the company’s efforts to drive app downloads.

“We wanted to use this big day to unveil our new mobile application,” Mr. Fornaci said. “In celebration of this 21st annual milestone, all guests who visit any Rita’s Italian Ice on March 20th will receive a free Ice in a limited edition cup with a QR Code for guests to download Rita’s Rewards, a new loyalty club for smartphone users.

“We are also using our Web site, social media and our email database to contact our fans about the new app.”

Consumers can scan the QR code located on Rita’s Italian Ice’s first day of spring cup.

Users are then led to download the mobile loyalty app.

Additionally, consumers can earn a free punch by using their Facebook log-in when signing up.

Users of Rita’s Rewards will also receive a free punch on the first day of spring.

“Our goal is to share the Ice Custard happiness and the new Rita’s Rewards app joins our Birthday Club and Rita’s Cool Alerts as another way Rita’s gives guests the ability to share their happiness with their friends through social channels,” Mr. Fornaci said.

Final Take
Rimma Kats is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York