In Easter 2019, the confectionery brand Panda® introduced the Finnish people to a new, innovative chocolate surprise egg option. Panda®, entering the immensely competed Easter egg game, needed something to stand out. An AR (augmented reality) surprise came to be and transformed with new gamified elements each year.
On Easter 2024, the Panda® chocolate egg surprised the sweet-tooths with more content than ever before!
| Client | Panda® Confectionaries |
| AR production | Arilyn |
Easter is a wonderful time of the year, marking the transition into a more light, bright, and cheerful season. Many of us indulge in treating ourselves — taking a break from school and work, spending time with family and friends, and enjoying the sweet chocolate surprise eggs.
In Easter 2019, the confectionery brand Panda® introduced the Finnish people to a new, innovative chocolate surprise egg option. Panda®, entering the immensely competed Easter egg game, needed something to stand out. An AR (augmented reality) surprise came to be and transformed with new gamified elements each year.
"When we decided to release a surprise egg for Easter 2019, we knew we needed to come up with something different — something to intrigue the audience and differentiate from the other options," Panda®'s Business Manager of Confectionery, Vesa Vainio, explains.
Sustainability is an important value for Panda®, and including a way to reduce the plastic inside the Easter egg was a priority. Panda® wanted to guide the consumers towards an immaterial surprise — a virtual experience can be just as delightful.
"Surely, in addition to the AR surprise, the Panda® surprise eggs still include a traditional treat. Children still want to play and explore with them. Maybe sometime in the future, the Panda® Easter surprise is purely virtual," Vainio adds.
The audience warmly welcomed the Panda® chocolate egg and the AR surprise. People find their way to the AR experience more often, and the time spent with the virtual panda increases yearly.
"In the first year, the Easter surprise was an AR panda children could play with; the panda would perform different activities, such as flying around the room. We started to develop the surprise towards a more playable form, adding games and sweepstakes," Vainio says.
In Easter 2024, Panda®'s surprise egg revealed the original virtual pandas with which Panda customers can interact. The surprise also includes a game in which the goal is to collect different Panda® candies into candy bags. After collecting enough candy pieces, the player can take part in a sweepstakes.
Offering engaging and valuable experiences is crucial when introducing a new product to consumers. Attracting both old and new customers requires persistence and an open mind to evolve. That is what the people of Panda® have.
"The future of the Panda® Easter egg looks good. We will continue to develop the AR surprise, as we have each year," Vainio concludes.
During Easter 2024, the Panda® chocolate eggs attracted people to spend time with the virtual experience for over three minutes on average, with a 37% return rate.
