Kinder, known for its chocolate eggs containing surprise toys, created the Applaydu App to transform its beloved products into a groundbreaking phygital experience. It developed a free, ad-free mobile application that extended the physical toy experience into the digital realm through QR code scanning. The app provided safe, educational content designed for children aged three to six, focusing on cognitive development, emotional well-being, and social competence. Now in its fourth season, Applaydu has reached over 60 million families globally, digitized more than 1,000 toys, and become a top-ranked educational game app in Europe, successfully modernizing the 50-year-old brand while creating meaningful family playtime.
Kinder sought to redefine its brand purpose by creating engagement starting from its physical products through a global digital solution that was both safe and meaningful for families. The brand aimed to honor its past while embracing a digital-first future, promoting light-hearted family moments together while being responsible for the content provided to children.
The app's development began in 2019, requiring more than a year of technical development, consumer testing, and application of Oxford Educational Content Guidelines. Season one launched between 2020-2021, with subsequent seasons following annually. When COVID-19 accelerated children's digital usage, connecting products responsibly through safe digital experiences became crucial for extending brand promises in meaningful ways. Kinder recognized that providing social impact by reinforcing positive family playtime behaviors would differentiate its approach in the market.
The campaign targeted millennial parents who strive to create playful, educational moments for their children aged three and six. Research showed that in today's world, children are often exposed to passive, unsecure, non-educational content, sometimes with hidden costs. Despite 97 percent of commercially available apps for kids claiming to be educational, studies found that most top-downloaded apps scored low on educational value.
Kinder adapted its mission of "a LITTLE, a LOT" to a modern approach that turned short, fun experiences into meaningful educational content for families. The media strategy unlocked a new breed of phygital creative work that placed the toy at the heart of the experience. With gaming as the preferred entertainment for children, Kinder extended its physical toy assembly experience into the digital realm through QR leaflets and toy scanning, enhancing family bonding moments while driving product engagement.
The Applaydu App's execution focused on providing families with a bonding experience to play and learn together. Kinder created qualitative content through a free, ad-free standalone game accessible from every Kinder Surprise and Kinder Joy egg.
The activation centered on the "phygital" toy experience, with the pack QR code integration being the core of the integrated effort. Supporting TV and digital content promoted both the physical product and the app experience.
Three key components drove the execution:
The typical user experience flowed from scanning the QR leaflet to discovering fun and educational themed islands, playing up to 16 unique games, and unlocking rewards. This approach helped Kinder reconnect with the evolving needs of its audience while modernizing its toy brand identity.
The Applaydu App achieved impressive results across multiple metrics. With over 1,000 toys digitized and accessible in 150 countries, Kinder successfully extended its toy experience to bring awareness and engagement to its 50-year-old brand. The app maintained a 4.4-star popularity rating in Google and Apple stores and ranked among the Top 50 Games in the Family Games Genre in Europe between 2023-2024.
During the Easter period, the app emerged as a standout choice, ranking No. 1 in Italy, No, 2 in France, No . 2 in Germany, and No. 5 in the U.K. Three games were validated by Oxford's Department of Education to ensure safe and qualitative content. The app delivered a compelling bite-sized experience with an average of 14.3 minutes per user and was enjoyed by over 60 million families globally, including 22 million new users in 2023-2024 alone. Testing among 1,600 families in Europe confirmed that the app was both enjoyable within family playtime and perceived as safe by mothers.
The QR leaflet integration proved particularly successful, with a 34.7 percent conversion rate on average between Google and Apple stores, meaning one in every three scanners became users. Furthermore, those who scanned the surprise remained engaged for at least six months. This approach yielded an average of 2.2 million monthly active users without heavy reliance on paid user acquisition costs, making it a viable long-term solution.
The app experienced peak performance during holidays, achieving up to a 350 percent increase in daily active users for Easter. Additionally, Kinder's collaboration with Oxford researchers through The LiFT Program leveraged the app to gather real-time data on the educational impact of app-based activities on child development, underscoring the brand's commitment to enhancing learning through technology in family settings.
