Dodo Brands, an international food tech brand and pizzeria network, aimed to create a promotional experience within their mobile app that was not only engaging but also memorable. They wanted to move far beyond typical in-app advertising by introducing an advent calendar.
Challenge
While the advent calendar mechanic is a well-known tool for encouraging customers to explore new products and sometimes make spontaneous purchases, Dodo’s team wanted to take it a step further. As Anastasiia, creative manager of Dodo Pizza, explained, “We didn’t want to just run a typical discount calendar. We wanted to bring a little more joy into our customers' lives by offering something more than just deals — we wanted each day to feel like a small discovery, a chance to create positive memories and excitement around our brand.”
Solution: Advent Calendar
Together, we developed an advent calendar-style game called “Summer Diary” that was integrated into a mobile app, running from June 7 to August 5. This game offered users a daily surprise, combining both the thrill of unlocking exclusive offers and collecting beautiful digital postcards.
Dodo’s decision to launch the campaign in summer was strategic. "Summer tends to be a low season due to people traveling or spending more time outdoors. The goal was to use the increased foot traffic in restaurants during warm weather by giving customers a reason to return regularly to the app and to the pizzerias,” noted Anastasiia. Here’s how it worked.
Advent Calendar Structure
Every day, users could unlock a new "door" in the advent calendar, revealing two key elements:
New postcard: each day featured a unique postcard, which users could collect, customize, and share with friends. This kept the experience fresh and engaging, as users looked forward to discovering the day's new design.
Special offer: along with the postcard, users were presented with a daily promotion, such as a reduced price on a specific product. This added a tangible reward to the game, encouraging users to take advantage of the daily deals.
Postcard Types
We designed three types of postcards to keep the experience varied:
- Illustrative postcards: presenting custom illustrations or photographs.
- City-specific postcards: featuring local landmarks, these postcards were shown to users based on their location if they were in one of the cities included in the list.
- Customizable postcards: users could upload their own photos, making the experience personal.
Dodo’s team emphasized “the importance of connecting with their audience on an emotional level”.
Development
Dodo Brands arrived with a well-formed concept, including initial sketches and a customer journey map (CJM). We worked closely with them, holding weekly syncs to refine the game’s design and mechanics. While Dodo’s team handled the postcard illustrations, we focused on the interface design, ensuring a cohesive and visually appealing user experience.
Launch and Impact
The advent calendar game was launched as an international initiative. It attracted over 880,000 participants rolling out to users across multiple countries in Europe and Asia.
- User interaction: the game saw significant engagement, with 54% of all app users participating. Users eagerly returned to the app each day to discover the new postcard and special offer. Notably, participation peaked during lunch hours and in the evening after work.
The ability to share the postcards further added a social element, contributing to consistent interaction — over 1 million postcards were created and shared during the campaign. While the game didn’t focus on direct monetization, it succeeded in boosting user engagement and brand loyalty. To learn more about key trends in the food industry and how they influence consumer behavior, check out our foodtech customer engagement report.
According to Dodo, the viral aspect of the campaign was important; they wanted customers to share their experience with friends, encouraging more people to engage with the promotion.
- Positive feedback: the game received positive feedback from both Dodo Brands and users. The advent calendar format, with its mix of anticipation, daily rewards, and beautiful design, kept users engaged throughout the campaign.
The Summer Diary campaign showcased how InAppStory transformed a traditional advent calendar mechanic into an interactive, emotionally engaging experience that connected with users. By combining daily offers with personalized, shareable content, the game achieved impressive user engagement, social sharing, and brand loyalty.
Now Available for All Users
We’re excited to announce that Advent Calendar, inspired by the success of Summer Diary, is now part of our mini-games studio. It’s available to all users, offering a similar dynamic experience. Reach out to learn how we can help bring the same level of engagement to your business.
