Pac-man, the popular arcade game that once became the mass sensation, is coming back in trend in its new avatar, thanks to augmented reality. Pizza Hut, the leading pizza franchise operating all over the world has brought back nostalgia by giving the arcade game a new AR treatment.
In the latest ad campaign featuring popular actor Craig Robinson (known for American sitcoms like Brooklyn 99 and The Office), the company reveals that they have turned their pizza delivery boxes into a virtual game of Pac-Man using web-based augmented reality technology.
Pizza Hut Arcade
With this offer, customers who order Pizza Hut’s tastemaker pizza between 15th and 26th March will receive a specially designed box. The customized package will contain a QR code that will lead them to Pizza Hut Arcade website. Accessing the website from an Android or iOS smartphone via the QR code, customers can point their phone camera at the customized Pac-Man maze provided on the box. This will then project a virtual arcade game right onto the box. From this point onwards, the game will play as one would usually expect, completed by a virtual joystick on the screen that is regulated by the swiping gestures on the phone’s touchscreen.
This is not all. Customers can also share their scores directly to Pizza Hut’s Twitter handle with the hashtags #sweepstakes #PizzaHutArcade and enter a fun competition where they can win a real Pac-Man arcade cabinet. The winners will be reportedly declared on the 3rd of April.
Collaboration
Yutaka Fuse, head of licensing and branding at Bandai Namco expressed his excitement over the offer by saying that the idea was inspired by the shape of the Tastemaker pizza with a slice taken out of it, which resembles a great deal with the iconic Pac-Man. Fuse also stated that both Pac-Man and Pizza Hut occupy a special place in people’s memory, invoking nostalgia and fun at the same time. That is why the company is excited to have this opportunity to materialize the collaboration and create similar amazing memories for the next generation of Pizza Hut and Pac-Man fans.
Secret Ingredient
The secret ingredient behind this project is none other than the 8th Wall Web platform. They have long catered to users navigating through websites using mobile devices. They have ramped up Pizza Hut’s AR experience further with the feature of Image targets. This feature transforms the Pac-Man maze printed on the pizza box into an augmented reality marker.
Not their first venture
The initiative by Pizza Hut, however, is not their first venture with AR technology. Previously, they have embedded an exclusive AR bean bag toss into the packaging for an NFL promotion. Keeping up with the competition, Papa John’s, the biggest contender of Pizza Hut, also used similar AR technology to build their cross-platform promotion for the movie Spider-Man: far From Home, in collaboration with Snapchat.
In recent times, companies are increasingly leaning into augmented reality to promote their products. From beverages, cosmetics, and confectionaries to gaming and music CDs—every brand is having a blast with the AR experience. Pizza Hut has also joined the fun. Arguably, parents cannot tell their kids not to play with food anymore!
