How to create a Roblox game for a brand: the Burger King experience

We tell you how we worked on the creation of the Burger Land metaverse, what mechanics we used to stimulate demand and how we emptied shelves with children’s kits in chain restaurants throughout Russia.

The task and the target audience

Promotion mechanics

Developing the world in Roblox

Activation codes and a surprise from Roblox

Promotion through bloggers

Results

The task and the target audience

We initially discussed with the customer the development of the Roblox metaverse. However, the game world in such projects should not be an end in itself. It’s a tool. The goal was to attract the attention of the audience of children who are now massively addicted to Roblox games, and by creating a thematic digital world, to involve them in interaction with the Burger King brand and stimulate demand for children’s combo sets – the boxes.

Promotion mechanics

It was necessary to make sure that the traffic of the delusional world in Roblox was converted into sales, and the gift from the box encouraged to return to the game again. To do this, we have developed a campaign with the following mechanics.

• • In the restaurants of the chain, children’s sets are called «ROBOXES», have the appropriate design, and most importantly, a unique gift.

• • Instead of a toy, each box comes with a special gift card. Under the protective layer, the winnings are a promo code for some denomination of robucks or the in–game currency of the world of Burgerland.

• • Robucks can be spent, of course, on anything within the Roblox. In-game currency can be spent on leveling up the hero’s skills in the world of Burgerland, fashionable skins at a local store, as well as discount coupons at Burger King.

Developing the world in Roblox

The biggest challenge was to please all age groups. The target audience from 7 to 13 years old is quite different children. It was necessary to create a world that, on the one hand, would be quite simple to play, intuitively understandable even to first-graders; on the other hand, it was not so simple that the game would bore older children. An expert group helped us find the golden mean. Before the launch, we gathered children of different ages and conducted testing, after which we discussed in detail with young experts what points could be improved.

As a result, the new metaverse of Roblox became a digital world with a Burger King restaurant simulator, where you can:

• • Play as a cook, cashier, courier, picker, cleaner;

• • Earn in–game currency – burgercoins;

• • Upgrade your character’s skills and purchase fashionable clothes for him with in-game currency;

• • Ride space rides;

• • Participate in the top of the player rankings (the leaders received robucks).

Activation codes and a surprise from Roblox

To make the acquaintance with the Burger Land as comfortable as possible, and the procedure for activating codes transparent, we created the official landing page of the promotion, where the rules were written and a special form for converting codes into the appropriate currency was built in. During the campaign, the system worked properly, but at the preparation stage, Roblox presented us with an unpleasant surprise.

We started in April 2023. Almost immediately, we decided on the concept, including the main «magnet» in the form of an opportunity to win robo-bets. But in May, Roblox suddenly decided to limit the sale of codes in Russia… We had to develop alternative solutions to activate winnings. It was possible to do this, and by the beginning of the action the mechanism was working like a clock.

Promotion through bloggers

In order to reach the maximum target audience, we decided to tell about the campaign through the mouths of bloggers who are popular with children’s audiences with content about Roblox games. We have selected several suitable channels and launched integrations. The favorites of our audience enthusiastically talked about the Burger King campaign, played Burgerland, vividly demonstrating different roles, showed what activities there are, how to activate cards with codes, what updates are coming out in the game. By the way, there were minor updates throughout the campaign. We were constantly collecting feedback and refining the world, making it more interesting for the players.

Results

The campaign started so famously that in a matter of weeks it led to a deficit. In just a month, we found ourselves in a situation where there were no children’s boxes in almost all Burger King locations across the country. The period of forced downtime ranged from 2 to 3 weeks in different places. At the same time, we were actively working: we maintained interest in the game, launched updates, and at that time focused on gaming activities in blogger integrations. As a result, there was a slight drawdown in attendance, but it turned out to be insignificant. All batches of boxes were also sold in full in the future.

The popularity of the Burgerland metaverse has grown really fast, which was recorded in the shortlists of the Russian Roblox market metamers. The world of Burgerland became No. 1 in terms of 1 million visits and likes, No. 2 in terms of attendance.

The promotion has ended, but Burgerland lives, and we are already preparing the second season!

Olga Kharitonova, co-owner of the 2L communication agency, account manager of the project:

 

«Creating branded games in Roblox is gaining popularity in the business environment, but not all projects are successful. It is very important to determine exactly the business purpose of such a development. It can be an image story or an increase in conversion.

When it comes to the company’s image, the cost of contact can be very high. If the goal is conversions, then it is necessary to clearly define which ones, and think about the activities within the metaverse that will contribute to their achievement, as well as scenarios that create circular traffic between the world and real life.

It is important to keep in mind that such developments require significant investments. And even if the product is technically executed at a high level, this does not guarantee its success. Equally important are strategy, marketing, PR, analytical tools and many other aspects. Ultimately, the success of a project is determined not only by the quality of the technologies used, but also by understanding its audience and effective promotion».

Do you have an idea for a branded metaverse or a great desire to repeat the success of the Burger King campaign? – Leave a request using the button below or send us a mail.