BOSTON -- GasBuddy is going beyond gas prices.
The company, which has made its name in crowdsourced fuel price data and app support, has rebranded and repositioned to reflect the diversifying retail experience. The initiative is being led by CEO Walt Doyle and chief technology officer Max Metral, both former PayPal executives.
Part of the repositioning hinges on a redesign of the GasBuddy mobile app, which has just risen above 60 million downloads. New features include the ability to rate gas stations and comment on elements such as their bathrooms, lighting, coffee and customer service. Enhanced search filters enable users to prioritize results by brand and amenities, such as the presence of a restaurant or lottery sales. Developers also aimed to create a cleaner, user-friendly interface and updated games and challenges.
GasBuddy also is working on features that would let consumers unlock special discounts, complete a purchase and connect with other users. The goal: Transform GasBuddy into the “Yelp of gas stations.”
Another arm of the brand repositioning involves GasBuddy’s media solutions. Here, the company says it will leverage its 60 million-strong user base to provide brand partners with an opportunity to deliver messages at scale. This includes in-app, programmatic push notifications, as well as email, blogs, direct mail and major social-media platforms.
“Fuel prices will always be our center of gravity, but with an all-new smartphone app, new media products for advertisers, and other solutions for the retailers themselves, finding a price on GasBuddy is just the beginning,” said Doyle in a press release announcing the rebrand.
GasBuddy will continue to provide app support to c-store retailers, the company told CSP Daily News in a statement. “We are a mobile-focused company, and continuing to work with strategic partners to drive traffic to where customers are: on the road, with their mobile devices.”
To kick off the rebrand, GasBuddy is launching a “Tank Takeover” campaign in partnership with local gas stations that will give out thousands of gallons of gasoline in select markets to GasBuddy members. The campaign begins in Houston on Sept. 23.
Founded in 2000, Boston-based GasBuddy provides real-time crowdsourced fuel price data at more than 140,000 gas stations in the United States, Canada and Australia through its website and mobile app.
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