Yeah, a rad badge is all well and good, but what's in it for you? Well, the whole deal is also a contest, the grand prize being a trip for two to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards on September 12. To get in the running for the prize, all you have to do is follow MTV on Foursquare, and then check in to any music venue between August 30 and September 5. The checkin will score you that nifty badge up there, and a chance to win a trip to Cali.
Already heralded as one of the top five brands on Foursquare -- at least in terms of followers -- MTV's award show integration is hardly a surprise. The network has been an active participant in the realm for a while now; almost six months ago, Foursquare announced a deal with MTV & VH1 that introduced a new “Celebrity Mode,” a function that allows users to follow celebs, a la Twitter. The first celebrity to hop on the geo-location band wagon was Jersey Shore’s DJ Pauly D.
According to an MTV representative, "We started with talent doing checkins and tips, and we are still doing that (the Jersey Shore cast recently provided new tips for Miami and Real World cast for New Orleans), but the change is that we're going broader to include MTV the brand as well in areas where it makes sense. For example, MTV Music, News, Shows and Style will also be providing tips and checkins." Integration with the upcoming award show is just a natural progression.