Mālama Card — There’s an app for that

March 15, 2010

Contributed by Thomas Yoshida

"By producing the first Hawai'i-based savings and discount iPhone application, it will allow us to better serve our customers and helps put Hawai'i on the technology map," said John Garcia, Kamehameha Schools' web designer.

While the technology is still fairly new, Kamehameha saw the development of the Mālama Card iPhone application as an opportunity to reach the large social media and technology community in Hawai'i.

"Kamehameha Schools has a bright future in social media and interactive technologies," Garcia said. "The organization's history coupled with its vast mission and cultural values make for a very intriguing case study."

Garcia sees social networking and rich media serving the Kamehameha Schools' story perfectly.

"The use of live streaming video for event coverage, social media integration for news and information delivery and interactive mobile applications to increase awareness of our mission will catapult not only the organization, but the native Hawaiian culture into the next century, he said"

The new iPhone application will make its debut on Saturday, March 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Malama at the Mall events happening simultaneously at Kahala Mall, Pearlridge Center, Royal Hawaiian Center and Windward Mall. The public is invited to get their Mālama Card, enjoy Hawaiian cultural entertainment, the chance to win great prizes and live demonstrations of the Mālama Card iPhone app. The event is free and open to the public.

Key elements of the Mālama Card iPhone Application:

• GPS location and merchant map
  Users will have the ability to opt-in to sending GPS coordinates via their iPhone. Once a user opts-in, the application will use this GPS information to pull up a list of merchants and promotions nearest them.

  The application will display direction, north, south, east and west (N-S-E-W) and how far away the users are from each merchant in meters.

  We've also built in a merchant map screen that shows all Mālama Card merchants on a map along with the user's current position. This enables the user to browse through all merchants in their area.

   

• Virtual merchant and promotion list
  The Mālama Card iPhone application is an alternative method for viewing merchants and promotions available through the Mālama Card program.

  Giving users access to merchant and promotion lists will make it easier for potential customers to see the value of the Mālama Card program.

   

• Virtual Merchant profile screen
  Each Mālama Card merchant has their very own profile screen in the Mälama Card iPhone application. The merchant profile screen displays contact information, address, web address and telephone number.

  Users can tap the merchant's web address to view more information directly on their iPhone. Users can also tap the merchant's phone number to launch the phone utility and send a call to the merchant.

   

• Social media integration
  Users can connect to their Facebook and Twitter accounts to send status updates on savings and discounts from the Mālama Card iPhone application. Users can also send an e-mail message to their friends directly from the merchant profile screen.

   

• Virtual Malama Card
  Once a user sees a discount they would like to take advantage of, they can tap the "Virtual Card" screen to launch an electronic version of the actual Mālama Card. Customers can show their iPhone to the merchant to redeem their discount or promotion.

All Mālama Card merchants are located on Kamehameha Schools' commercial properties. These properties include Royal Hawaiian Center, Windward Mall, Pearlridge Center, Kahala Mall, Kapālama Shopping Center, as well as Waipahu, Waiakamilo, Kaka'ako, Keauhou, and Hawai'i Kai. Income from the school's commercial leases fund KS' campus and community outreach programs throughout the state.

Kamehameha Schools is a private, educational, charitable trust founded and endowed by the legacy of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop. Kamehameha Schools operates a statewide educational system enrolling more than 6,900 students of Hawaiian ancestry at K-12 campuses on O'ahu, Maui and Hawai'i and 31 preschool sites statewide. Approximately 37,500 additional Hawaiian learners are served each year through a range of other Kamehameha Schools' outreach programs, community collaborations and financial aid opportunities in Hawai'i and across the continental United States.

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