CHALLENGE

State Fair Corn Dogs challenged us to create a fun, exciting brand interaction promoting State Fair Corn Dogs among teen consumers in the U.S. with the goal of increasing purchase frequency.

STRATEGY

NASCAR Racing is an incredibly popular sport in the US with youth and adults alike. State Fair Corn Dogs decided that their sponsor relationship with popular driver Michael Waltrip would be an excellent marketing vehicle to reach these teens, who also enjoy racing games. The State Fair Michael Waltrip Racing Challenge was born. To increase product purchase, players required codes from collectible cards in specially marked packages to play, with each card usable for only one race as an “All Access Pass.”

CREATIVE & EXECUTION

The game offers players a chance to become Michael Waltrip and compete in online races for the best times. With each successive track, the car becomes faster and more powerful, forcing the player to take more care to control their car through the turns and the game features a custom-built driving and physics engine that simulates the real-world forces on a car in an actual racing environment.

The racer with the best cumulative time over three races wins the Grand Prize, a weeklong trip for four to see a live Busch series race, as well as an autographed Michael Waltrip hat and T-shirt. Because three races must be unlocked and won to win the grand prize, players needed to purchase multiple packages of product.

Over 1,000 prizes were available to be won in total. Powered by the SoftCoin BrandConnect™ loyalty platform and delivered through a high impact Shockwave 3D Fuel Industries experience, the fast-paced game was extensively branded with State Fair Corn Dog logos.

Viewing the car from above and behind, the game is styled after popular arcade racing games, and the environment is rendered in stunning detail, pushing the envelope with the graphical capabilities of Shockwave.

PERFORMANCE

Racers are currently going head-to-head for the grand prize, with barely seconds separating first and second place. As players continue to join the ranks, competition can only get hotter, and continue to develop the relationship between users and State Fair Corn Dogs.