Food for downloads is nothing new in app marketing. Last week, Chick-fil-A’s app shot to the top of the charts, and you’d think they were giving something away for free. 7-Eleven did the same thing again last week, and downloads increased 12-fold. However, Chick-fil-A did something different — they launched a game. And that’s something new.
Code Moo: A Game-Changing Approach
On Monday, Chick-fil-A launched Code Moo in their app, a very simple casual game that gives away prizes every week for the next month. Basically, it’s free food for downloading the app, but with a twist. It’s hard to tell if people are coming to the app for the free food or the game, but the campaign has resulted in the most app downloads in a single day. Ever!
Downloads climbed throughout the day on Monday, propelling the app to the top spot in the US App Store, where it remained for several hours on Tuesday. According to AppFigures, the app was downloaded by 173,000 people on Monday and 79,000 on Tuesday. That’s estimated to be significantly higher than the average daily download of 22,000. Going back as far as 2017, Chick-fil-A has never had a better day for downloads. The closest was 155,000 downloads in early January 2020, which was the result of Chick-fil-A giving away free nuggets to anyone who downloaded the app.
Impact and Future Trends
Needless to say, the new campaign will be more successful and likely cheaper for the chain, since most players won’t be getting free food. Other restaurant chains are probably already duplicating this approach. What a time to be developing branded games!
The success of Code Moo demonstrates the potential of integrating gamification into app marketing strategies. By offering a unique and engaging experience, Chick-fil-A has managed to create a buzz around their app that extends beyond the traditional food giveaway model. This approach not only drives downloads but also encourages user retention and engagement within the app.
As the fast-food industry continues to evolve in the digital age, we can expect to see more innovative marketing tactics like this emerge. The combination of mobile gaming and promotional offers seems to be a winning formula, potentially setting a new standard for customer acquisition in the food service sector, notes NIXSOLUTIONS.
We’ll keep you updated on any new developments in this space, as other brands may soon follow suit with their own interactive app experiences. The success of Code Moo could mark the beginning of a new trend in app marketing, where entertainment and rewards converge to create compelling user experiences.
As this strategy unfolds, it will be interesting to observe how it impacts customer loyalty, app usage frequency, and overall brand engagement in the long term. The future of app marketing in the food industry may well be shaped by the lessons learned from Chick-fil-A’s innovative approach.