Gotta cash in on ’em all: entrepreneurs jump on Pokémon GO trend

[Photo: POLYGON]

It’s rare to leave the house these days without passing people fixed to their cellphone screens, searching for Pokémon characters.

Pokémon GO, the location-based mobile game, is capturing the imagination of millions of players — not to mention clever entrepreneurs.

Now, businesses and even politicians around the world and in Canada are trying to accommodate Pokémon GO players in creative ways.

To play on the Pokémon slogan “gotta catch ‘em all,” these folks “gotta cash in on ’em all.”

Gotta drive ’em all

Since navigating the real world is an essential part of Pokémon GO, some drivers are trying to make some quick cash.

In Toronto, some savvy vehicle-owners are posting their services on Craigslist and Kijiji, offering to drive players around the city for anywhere between $15 and $40 an hour. Some drivers promise to take players to more remote locations where rarer Pokémon characters are known to roam.

Nick Soh charges players US$30 an hour to drive players around the suburbs of New York. His Toyota Rav4 Sport is equipped with charging cables and “lure modules” to, well, lure more Pokémon to your spot. He told Business Inside he’d driven four groups in the last week.

Meanwhile, a Tennessee tour company called Joyride Nashville is offering a special Pokémon GO Tour, after customers began requesting to be taken to specific landmarks for the purpose of the game. The company told entrepreneur.com it booked seven tours in one day, at $45 a head.

Gotta vote for ’em all

Hillary Clinton campaigners in Ohio have stationed themselves at PokéStops, real life locations such as murals and park benches where players can stock up on supplies and attempt to catch Pokémon. The voter registration canvassers even came up with a fitting slogan: “Reg ’em all.”

Clinton advertised one meet-up on her website.

“Join us as we go to the Pokestop in Madison Park and put up a lure module, get free pokemon, & battle each other while you register voters and learn more about Sec. Hillary Clinton!!! Kids welcome!”

Gotta publish ’em all

It’s not surprising that the publishing industry is scrambling to make bank on the Pokémon GO trend, with an attempt to quickly turn around a book on mastering the game. A job description by an unnamed major publishing house was posted on Mediabistro looking for a Pokémon GO expert to write how-to guides on a tight schedule.

“If you love video games, and especially Pokemon Go, and have some free time over the next two weeks, this could be the perfect gig for you,” it states.

Gotta date ’em all

It was only a matter of time before the Pokémon craze was hit with a romantic slant. PokeDates is a website created by Project Fixup, which focuses on real-life dating, and vows to let you “catch ’em all, together!”

With the promo code, POKEDATES2016, the site offers a free first date for Pokémon trainers. Once they’ve revealed their training schedule and filled out some personal details, trainers are set up on a Pokémon GO date. If the first date doesn’t catch on, any additional date costs $20.

Gotta hydrate ’em all

This clever girl set up a “PokeShop” in front of her sister’s house, after she realized the location was a PokeStop. In addition to offering lemonade, 10-year-old Miranda also sells chips to match each of the game’s team colours.

Gotta educate ’em all

The Syrian National Coalition is using the craze to catch the world’s attention about the dire conditions faced by the country’s children.

“If you are looking for a Pokemon you can find it in Syria,” the coalition wrote in a tweet.

One photo shows a child with the Pikachu character and reads, “I am trapped in Douma in east Ghouta. Help me.”

Other photos show children holding up paper with Pokémon’s image, which say “I am from #Syria…save me!” along with hashtags #PokemonInSyria #PokemonGO #PrayForSyria.