Dive Brief:
- Chipotle Mexican Grill and Avocados from Mexico have teamed up for a mobile-friendly online game called “Cado Crusher” per a joint press release. Anyone who plays the game between Jan. 24 and Feb. 7 will receive a coupon for free chips and guacamole with the purchase of an entree.
- The game requires players to collect ingredients to create guacamole for the “Big Game,” and gameplay elements include football-related graphics like helmets and footballs.
- Cado Crusher, by timing and gameplay clearly ties into the Super Bowl, and Super Bowl parties that might feature guacamole, without explicitly naming the big game coming up in less than two weeks.
Dive Insight:
Cado Crusher isn’t Chipotle’s first attempt at including gaming in its marketing. In October it launched a spin-off game from its popular “A Love Story” animated short that also included food ingredients in the gameplay. In general, gaming continues to be a popular way for marketers to appeal to digitally-savvy consumers, and while some marketers fall into common traps likely to diminish the impact, Chipotle's repeat use of the tactic suggests results are promising.
The game is also an indicator of some of the different ways brands look to join in the Super Bowl buzz beyond just purchasing ads. In Chipotle's case, the payoff for the user beyond the coupon is a recipe for guacamole, a popular dip at Super Bowl parties.
Other Super Bowl campaigns that go beyond the standard marketing fare include Intel’s user-generated 360-degree video and PepsiCo’s multi-platform digital effort that includes a partnership with Snapchat, an augmented reality experience for new Mountain Dew flavors, and an original content series pitting chefs in competition for Super Bowl tickets.
