Accelerating brand partnerships through gamification

Background

Jack Daniel’s is one of Brown-Forman’s brands in its significant portfolio of drinks. TrunkBBI has supported this global brand for over 4 years, primarily delivering creative and interactive content. Over the year’s we’ve helped them reinvent promotional tactics, whether this has been for off-trade sales or to drive footfall into pubs.

In 2023, Jack Daniel’s briefed us to promote their collaboration with McLaren F1, a renowned automotive brand, while addressing the crucial issue of responsible drinking as well as mixing alcohol with driving.

Target audience

Our journey began with a unique challenge – appealing to a younger audience, aged 19-34, for Jack Daniel’s, a brand typically associated with a different demographic. To win this audience over, our strategy had to be compelling, engaging, and addictive.

Understanding the digital preferences of our target demographic, we embarked on a digital adventure. We designed a redemption journey that unfolded in the on-trade, within the vibrant ambiance of pubs, bars, and restaurants. This decision was deliberate, allowing people to experience real-time benefits such as spot prizes of free or discounted drinks. This not only encouraged repeat plays but also fostered ongoing engagement.

Our audience, the Tik-Tok generation, is always on the move, even while socialising in pubs with friends. To captivate and sustain their attention, we needed a strategy that not only grabbed their focus but held it tightly. We created an interactive and competitive experience, perfect for sharing and competing with friends, amplifying the reach of the campaign and generating a buzz.

Our solution

Beat the Driver” is a pioneering gamification project. Rather than opting for an off-the-shelf mobile game mechanic, we recognised the need to create something unique that would truly reflect McLaren’s iconic status and its association with Formula 1.

Our exploration led us to physical mechanics that could be seamlessly translated into a mobile experience, appealing to the tech-savvy Gen Y and Z audience. After considering various options, we were most excited by the Batak challenge—an engaging test of reaction time, hand-eye coordination, and stamina.

Formula 1 drivers rely on lightning-fast reactions during pit stops, where split-second decisions can determine victory or defeat. We wanted players to feel that pressure while enjoying the game. In “Beat the Driver,” players were invited to test their reaction times using the Jack Daniel’s branded Batak board. They competed against an animated driver, aiming to hit designated targets on the board as swiftly as possible. The faster the player hit the target, the more points they scored, increasing their chances of winning fantastic prizes.

This creative approach allowed us to engage our target audience effectively, making the campaign a memorable success.

The results

The game proved to be an overwhelming success, garnering praise from Jack Daniel’s, McLaren, on-trade customers, and consumers alike. Notably, the campaign not only met but exceeded all set KPIs, showcasing its effectiveness.

The platform game attracted an impressive 59,600 unique visitors, with over 25% of them opting in to receive brand marketing materials. Furthermore, the game was played a staggering 196,840 times, resulting in the distribution of more than 250 prizes. An outstanding redemption rate of 65% further underscored the campaign’s triumph.

Such resounding success led to a subsequent request to design and build a life-sized version of the game, slated to appear at Airport’s around the world as part of the continued partnership between the two iconic brands.

More recently, this project picked up a Global Web Excellence Award for best App & Mobile game.