GetGlue is one of a few companies trying to be the Foursquare of multimedia, and believes it can win your check-ins with stickers for popular TV shows.

The company announced a batch of deals today with Hollywood studios and TV stations. GetGlue stickers can now be earned by watching Mad Men and other shows on AMC, House Hunters on HGTV or several MSNBC programs. Folks who see Disney’s Tron: Legacy or Tangled can get stickers as well.

What’s the point, you may ask? That’s where it starts getting interesting.

From the start, check-ins were supposed to be their own reward. When you log your presence at a restaurant or bar through Foursquare or Facebook Places, friends know you’re there, and can plan accordingly, or make a note to try that establishment in the future. Same goes with GetGlue — at its core, it’s a recommendation system for movies, TV shows, books, music and games.

But that’s not always enough to lure people. What I’m most looking forward to from GetGlue is what the company didn’t announce today: a rewards system for people who show dedication to a TV series or movie franchise. I talked to Fraser Kelton, GetGlue’s vice president of business development, and while he couldn’t give me specifics on the deals GetGlue was ironing out, he offered a few hypothetical ones.

For instance, a user who watches every episode of a television series when it airs could get a discount on the DVD box set. Someone who’s seen every movie in a given franchise could get cheap tickets or some other incentive to see the next film in theaters. Devotion to a particular show or movie could also unlock exclusive rewards, like posters, laptop sleeves and T-shirts. GetGlue already mails free printed stickers to folks who earn seven or more, and Kelton sees the upcoming incentives as an extension, bringing some tangible benefits to the check-in concept.

GetGlue says it now has 600,000 users, who have rated content or checked in 8 million times. Kelton said studios are starting to notice — AMC, which produces Mad Men, declined to participate a few months ago, then changed its mind — and their interest is helping to give the site an edge over competitor Miso. That site has its own partnerships, and offers some badges without consent from content providers, but only covers television.

Like so many multimedia-based startups, GetGlue’s success will ultimately hinge upon whether TV and movie studios, book publishers and game makers play along. The early interest is encouraging.

 
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