Turning Pilsner Urquell’s Beer Experience into a Game
Turning Pilsner Urquell’s Beer Experience into a Game
I developed an innovative app for Pilsner Urquell that gamified the beer-drinking experience through a sticker collection system. Each brand—Radegast, Gambrinus, and Kozel—had its own thematic design. Users scanned QR codes provided by pub staff after finishing their beer to collect virtual stickers in the app. Accumulating a certain number of stickers entered them into a contest. Launched at the beginning of the year, the app saw extensive use across the Czech Republic, handling hundreds of entries daily and significantly boosting customer engagement.
I developed an innovative app for Pilsner Urquell that gamified the beer-drinking experience through a sticker collection system. Each brand—Radegast, Gambrinus, and Kozel—had its own thematic design. Users scanned QR codes provided by pub staff after finishing their beer to collect virtual stickers in the app. Accumulating a certain number of stickers entered them into a contest. Launched at the beginning of the year, the app saw extensive use across the Czech Republic, handling hundreds of entries daily and significantly boosting customer engagement.
Tackling challenges in creating a sticker collection experience
When developing a beer app where customers collect stickers for each beer they drink, we faced several challenges. Initially, we needed to refine the game mechanics and collection process in collaboration with the client, who was open to ideas but hadn’t fully conceptualized how these elements should function. This required thoughtful communication and iterative development to shape a system that aligned with the client’s vision.
Additionally, integrating the sticker collection feature into the app posed technical difficulties, particularly in ensuring that the system accurately tracked each purchase and awarded the correct stickers without any errors. We also faced the challenge of designing an intuitive user interface that made the sticker collection process engaging and straightforward for users, while also fitting seamlessly into the app's overall aesthetic.
Another significant issue was ensuring that the app could handle varying volumes of users without performance issues, particularly during promotional events when many users would be logging their drinks simultaneously. Finally, coordinating with different breweries and bars to ensure that the app’s rewards system was consistent and fair across all participating venues added another layer of complexity to the project.
