NZ supermarket New World launches egg-citing augmented reality game ‘Epic Easter Hunt’ via 99

Store-wide egg hunts have been a cornerstone of New World’s Easter activations since 2011. This year they’re delighting customers by taking the hunt to a whole, epic, new level – with an augmented reality game.

New World and 99 have launched an augmented reality game called the Epic Easter Hunt which is already spreading happiness across the nation. It’s an all-new activation experience for New Zealand’s leading supermarket.

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New World’s Epic Easter Hunt lets you 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 27th 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 3 weeks, through til the end of Easter weekend.

Says Stephanie Pyne, head of retail marketing, New World: “New World is all about happiness in its many forms and you’d absolutely have to agree that for children up and down the country, Easter is an ‘eggs-citing’ time of the year. We wanted to embrace the fact that mobile is where it’s at for young and old. 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.

Says Isle: “It was particularly exciting once we got the prototype in the hands of kids. With grown-ups you need that layer of education to familiarise them with AR. With kids, it’s a completely nat ural, intuitive experience.”

Agency: 99

Retail Promotions Coordinator: Lauren Ness