Migros Merge: Mutabor and Gbanga develop mobile game for Migros

A large proportion of purchasing decisions in Switzerland are made by women between the ages of 25 and 40. Reaching them via classic marketing channels is becoming increasingly difficult, according to a Migros study from 2019. It is striking that a high percentage of this target group plays mobile casual games every day. Be it to relax briefly or to immerse themselves in an imaginative story, as various studies show.

New experience for customers

Instead of advertising in established games, Migros teamed up with Mutabor and Gbanga to create a own mobile casual game developed. Integrated product and advertising placements make the game a high-reach owned media channel designed to deliver positive brand experiences. "Many brands are trying to get active in game marketing and either invest in short campaigns or place their advertising messages with other providers," explains Burkhard Müller, Chief Digital Officer at Mutabor. "Migros is developing its game itself and has thus opened up a new touchpoint where it can reach its target group directly and with 100 percent Migros content." "Retail meets entertainment in the digital world here," adds Matthias Sala, founder and CEO of Gbanga. "Through the innovative adaptation of a popular game genre, we can interactively experience the world of Migros' cult products. We're especially pleased with the many store reviews from players who are positively incorporating the game into their daily lives." The storyline focuses on an eventful story, integrates the brand messages and values as well as the Migros product range. In terms of content, the protagonist Mia travels with her friends through the ages of a remote Swiss mountain valley. On the journey from the Stone Age to the future, there is always something new to discover. In order to give the target group an understanding of Migros' product range expertise, Migros products were included in the game and made tangible through a Merge3 mechanism. By cleverly combining objects, products are created that can be used to solve game tasks. This mechanic makes it possible to regularly bring new assortments into the game. To strengthen the branding, the most important brand elements of Migros were integrated into the game: from the colors to the defining Migros-M, which can be found in many game assets. In addition, well-known products were integrated, such as the cult iced tea or the ice creams.