SPOTLIGHT: Real drinks through Facebook

Annoyed with those virtual hamburgers and other cheesy Facebook apps that give you no real world satisfaction? Fear not, the newly-launched BarTab service has engineered a way to turn Facebook virtual drink icons into real drinks at participating bars in Arizona at a dollar per send. No, we aren't making this up.

More than 100 bars have agreed to participate in the BarTab program, a combination of social media and a customizable marketing service. Facebook awarded a $25,000 grant to the service as well.

BarTab works by allows users to turn a digital drink icon into a real drink redeemable by cell phone. Upon visiting a designated establishment, the BarTab user presents a text message-based mobile drink coupon in exchange for a drink. The partner bar gets a pay-per-customer model for advertising; bars and restaurants only pay up when customers show up at the bar, and participating bars and restaurants can give away a drink to attract a customer. Bars control the number of drinks they give away, type of drinks, and even the time periods drinks can be redeemed.

The service is launching in the company's home state of Arizona with plans to roll out the application nationally and internationally. Of course, BarTab would also like a crack at a further Facebook grant cash of up to $225,000.

One catch with the Arizona rollout: In Arizona it is illegal to give away an alcoholic beverage. When a Facebook user redeems his/her BarTab drink, they will be required to provide 1 cent in addition to the electronic drink coupon.

For more:
- MarketWire picks up BarTab's press release [1].
- Or, send a buddy in Arizona a drink by using www.mybartab.com