Dive Brief:
- Ally this week launched a new game that uses augmented reality (AR) to teach players how their money can work harder for them, per a press release. Through Ally Digital Dollar, participants are entered to win a prize, and healthcare workers in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Detroit will also receive prizes in celebration of National Superhero Day (April 28). The game runs through April 30.
- By scanning a bill of any denomination, players will witness the "extra superpowers" of their money by potentially turning a dollar into one of $940,000 worth of instant prizes. The gameplay itself involves a 3D animated AR experience that automatically enters players to win the $50,000 grand prize.
- In addition to echoing other brands who have used marketing to champion healthcare workers during the pandemic, the contest is Ally's latest use of gamification to frame its consumer engagement, which is becoming an increasingly popular way for brands to reach mobile audiences.
Dive Insight:
Ally's newest game sees the company employing a mobile method it has used in the past, though with a fresh financial message centered around working one's dollar. The gamified content offers consumers an interactive experience with the company's platform, while incentivizing gameplay through a range of instant prizes that nod to the marketing's power-of-money messaging. Previously, Ally used gamification ahead of the 2018 Super Bowl with an AR-powered game that aimed to get consumers to think differently about their savings. In July 2019, the company gamified the often stressful situation of discussing one's finances through a virtual truth-or-dare Instagram activation.
This year, Ally's game comes with a philanthropic caveat. By delivering prizes to healthcare workers on National Superhero Day, Ally joins a series of other brands — such as Budweiser and Oxigen — that have used marketing pushes to honor frontline workers during the pandemic. The giveaway, which will be conducted by caped crusaders at mass vaccination sites, draws additional attention to the "superpowers" inherent in one's dollar.
Also notable about Digital Dollar is its use of AR. As with its 2018 Super Bowl game, Ally is hoping to dial up the user-friendliness of its mobile content through the interactive technology, which has seen a boost in brand adoption during the pandemic. The firm is hoping to promote widespread use of the AR game through posts on its social channels.