Brewing giant MillerCoors has launched the MGD 64 Pedometer, an iPhone application that combines the functionality of a pedometer with the social networking of Facebook.

The free MGD 64 Pedometer application works like a traditional pedometer, with the technology to recognize a change in motion and can recalibrate accordingly. MillerCoors? goal is to provide consumers with a new mobile tool to help them maintain their active, sociable lifestyle, letting them share their progress with friends while raising awareness of its super-light beer MGD 64.

?We?re launching the MGD 64 Pedometer app to provide our active-lifestyle consumers with a tool that both helps them maintain a balanced lifestyle and allows them to connect with other like-minded consumers through Facebook,? said Tristi Pfeiffer, marketing manager for MGD 64 at MillerCoors, Chicago.

?It?s a tactic that connects well with our brand positioning and with our consumer?s desire for interesting mobile tools,? she said. ?Our target demographic is legal-drinking-age men and women who are looking for a fun, new way to be active and social.?

MillerCoors is the second-largest beer company in America, capturing nearly 30 percent of United States beer sales.

Walk this way
The MGD 64 Pedometer application is available in the iTunes App Store and is compatible with both the iPhone and iPod touch.

Taking into account height and weight, the application uses the accelerometer within the iPhone to measure movement and estimate the number of steps taken, distance traveled and calories burned. 

The MGD 64 Pedometer application also has the unique ability to connect to Facebook users.

Once consumers have entered their Facebook log-in information, they have the option to share their progress with friends on their news feed and to join MGD 64 group challenges.

Group challenges allow people to apply the calories they burn and the steps they take towards reaching a common goal with others.

For example, one group challenge is ?Walk up Mt. Everest 64 Times,? in which participants can apply the steps they take towards reaching the 704,000 step goal.

Another challenge, ?Burn Calories from 64 Pizzas,? tasks people with applying the calories they burned towards reaching the collective goal of 152,896 calories burned.

Each group challenge is tracked on both the mobile app and the MGD 64 Pedometer tab on the brand?s Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/mgd64.

People can monitor the total number of calories contributed to the challenge, as well as view those with the highest contributions of calories burned.

In addition to launching the application, MGD 64 maintains its commitment to consumers by sponsoring the fourteen-city 2010 Rock ?n? Roll Marathon Series.

Now in its second year as an official race sponsor, the brand utilizes pre- and post-race activities to further connect with consumers living on-the-go lifestyles.

To get the word out, MillerCoors will integrate the application onto MGD64.com and the MGD 64 Facebook page. 

MillerCoors believes that mobile applications are an important part of its overall marketing strategy.

?Mobile apps provide us the opportunity to connect with our consumers in ways that keep our brands relevant to them on an ongoing basis,? Ms. Pfeiffer said. ?The MGD 64 Pedometer app, in particular, allows us to connect with consumers who are literally on-the-go. 

?We are always looking for new channels and platforms to reach our consumers,? she said.