Little Brownie Bakers developed an app for Apple and Android devices that made it easy for consumers to find Girl Scout cookies for sale near them during the limited window of availability in an effort to drive more purchases.
Girl Scouts cookies are an American tradition and are only available during select times of the year. Little Brownie Bakers, the division of Kellogg’s that makes the cookies, created an app that enabled users to search for cookie sales near them, get directions to the sales, and share the details with their friends via social media. Users could also find fun cookie facts, videos, and recipes that enhance the spirit of the Girl Scout cookie sales.
Cookie Locator was launched on Apple and Android devices in spring 2011 as a pilot program to a select number of Girl Scout councils. Thanks to press coverage, promotion in the Apple App Store, and the work of the selected local troops, the app generated more than 10 times the projected usage. This led to an expansion of the program in 2012 to all Girl Scout councils served by Little Brownie Bakers, with enhanced functionality including video and Foursquare check-ins.
Girl Scouts councils could easily update information about sale times and locations via a web admin tool, which instantly updated the app as well. Cookie Locator’s powerful drag-and-drop platform led to the launch of two additional administrative apps for the Girl Scouts’ inventory system. These apps, for Apple and Android, were developed in the wake of Cookie Locator’s success and allowed for communication between the Girl Scouts’ internal ordering system and Cookie Locator.
Cookie Locator was promoted heavily in the Apple App Store, the press, and through local councils. As a result, the app was downloaded over 250,000 times — more than 10 times the projected usage.
Little Brownie Bakers’ launch of administrative apps for Girl Scouts council leaders to manage inventory and orders resulted in more than one million transactions processed.
