Store-wide egg hunts have been a cornerstone of New World’s Easter activations since 2011. This year – with help from 99 – they’re taking the hunt to a new level with an augmented reality game.
New World’s Epic Easter Hunt lets players chase down the Easter Bunny’s lost eggs. A first for the category in New Zealand, the player searches out unique AR markers found in New World’s 138 stores nationwide, print advertising and online.
Scanning them with the app triggers a kid-friendly egg chase, set amongst the world around the player. The intrepid egg hunter then has 45 seconds to tap all the eggs before they disappear.
Over time, players grow their collection of uniquely-designed eggs, which they can then trade in for a real chocolate egg in store. They can also share photos of themselves – or their young egg-chaser – with the Easter Bunny to their own Facebook page. There’s also the well-loved paper and pencil version of the Easter Hunt in store, ensuring the fun is accessible for everyone.
The game went live for download on Monday 27 March, with thousands of downloads in the first few hours. By day three it flew to #3 on the Apple iTunes (NZ) App Store chart for free apps and #3 on Google Play (NZ) for free game apps. The promotion runs for three weeks, through till the end of Easter weekend.
“We wanted to embrace the fact that mobile is where it’s at for young and old,” said New World head of retail marketing Stephanie Pyne. “Combining a fun mobile game with delicious chocolate rewards is the perfect promo.”
Launching with a friendly on-boarding video that explains the app from beginning to end, New World also partnered with mummy bloggers such as Maria Foy and Vanessa Rehm to show the game in action.
99’s new appointment, digital creative director Jared Isle, played a key role in the game’s development. “It was particularly exciting once we got the prototype in the hands of kids,” Isle said.
“With grown-ups you need that layer of education to familiarise them with AR. With kids, it’s a completely natural, intuitive experience.”
User-generated video of the game in action by another blogger, Melissa Jack of Auckland, at New World Kumeu here:
CREDITS
Agency: 99
Executive Creative Director: Craig Whitehead
Creative Director: Chris Long
Digital Creative Director: Jared Isle
Director, Tech, Data & Innovation: Greg Forsyth
Head of Digital Production / Lead Digital Producer: Kevin Akers
Digital Producer: Deimos Rikys
Content Producer: Katy Taylor
Design: Simone Lash / Jay Shin
Character Animation: Olly Roy / Gerardo Kemelyen
Managing Director: Paul Manning
Business Director: Kat Sliper
Account Director: Sabrina Vickers
Development Partner: Rush Digital
Client: Foodstuffs New Zealand (New World)
Group General Manager Marketing: Steve Bayliss
Head of Retail Marketing: Stephanie Pyne
Head of Digital: David Brem
Retail Promotions Coordinator: Lauren Ness
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