<p>In soccer parlance, mobile is like the corner kick of digital brand marketing while something typically easier to score off of, such as search, is more akin to a free kick. But Heineken, for the next three months, is going to try to bend it like Lionel Messi (or Beckham of old) with Foursquare, targeting U.S.-based fans of European futbol.</p><p>The beer giant is seeing a lack of activity with its proprietary mobile appsa sentiment that's become an all-too-common theme among consumer brands. "What we've learned in the last couple of years is that consumers aren't really into downloading branded apps," Bram Reukers, Heineken's brand manager, told Adweek.</p><p>So his team has established its deepest integration to date with Foursquare, which has roughly 45 million registered users. In a multilayered campaign, the beer brand is zeroing in on folks who will be watching the UEFA Champions League in bars and restaurants. The UEFA's knockout rounds begin today, and Heineken will encourage check-ins by pitching the chance to win a trip to Europe as well as daily and weekly prizes. The latter will entail UEFA-Heineken-Adidas-branded jackets and polo shirts, including swag signed by popular league players.</p><p>Interestingly, consumers will be able to check in via the beer brand's HTML5 mobile microsite in addition to Foursquare. (They'll all count as Foursquare check-ins, to be clear.) The companies' digital properties are synced while tracking check-ins for individualsas well as cities such as New York, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Dallas and Los Angeles. The contest involves a data-visualization map where participants can see what cities are recording the most check-ins. In late May, a city will be deemed triumphant, and then one of that town's frequent check-in participants will be randomly selected as the winner of a trip abroad to see a UEFA match next year with two friends.</p><p><a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/heineken-turns-foursquare-branded-mobile-app-usage-wanes-155769">Keep reading...</a></p>