Augmented Reality Gaming | SunMatrix Ramble

The Buffer Busters are the new Ghost Busters from Vodafone Germany. The telecom giant has launched an augmented reality mobile application that transforms German cities into a video game arena!

Starting from the brief “Vodafone is the fastest mobile network in Germany”, ad agency North Kingdom Stockholm has created a digital story revolving around so-called Buffer Monsters that represent everything slow in our everyday surroundings.

Users who play the game have to capture these monsters by using their iPhone or Android smart phones. When 50 monsters have been captured, the user needs to visit a near by Vodafone Store to dump them and continue playing. The best Buffer Busters will win a lifetime plan from Vodafone! 😎

The TVC supporting the initiative is also very well done…

Someone holds up a Cadbury chocolate bar, opens the Spots v Stripes game, and the packaging itself becomes the trigger. The camera recognises the pack, the AR layer kicks in, and the game starts. The mechanic is simple. Smack the ducks as fast as you can. Then share your best score socially.

What’s happening in this activation

Cadbury launches an augmented reality gaming app that is activated via its chocolate bar packaging. The game is called Spots v Stripes. It uses Blippar’s image recognition technology and AR app platform to recognise the pack and unlock the experience.

The product and packaging are the entry point

This is the part that matters. The “media” is not a poster or a banner. The media is the object people already hold in their hands.

The strongest value of this pattern is that it turns packaging into a repeatable call-to-action surface. Every bar on a shelf becomes an invitation to interact, not just a container.

The game loop is intentionally lightweight

The gameplay is described in one sentence. Smack the ducks quickly. Post your score. That simplicity is not a limitation. It is a design choice that fits a packaging-triggered moment.

What to watch if you plan a similar AR-on-pack idea

Friction at first use. The experience only works if the first 10 seconds feel obvious and rewarding.
Recognition reliability. Image recognition must work across lighting conditions and real-world handling.
Share mechanics. A score worth sharing needs a clear benchmark, not just “I played it.”
On-pack instruction. The pack needs a clear nudge that does not compete with the brand block.

A few fast answers before you act

What is the activation, in one line?
Cadbury launches an AR gaming app that activates via the chocolate bar packaging using Blippar’s image recognition and AR platform.

What does the user do?
They play Spots v Stripes by “smacking the ducks” quickly, then share the best score socially.

What technology enables it?
Blippar’s image recognition technology and AR app platform.

Why is packaging-triggered AR interesting?
Because it turns every physical pack into a persistent entry point to an interactive experience, without needing external media inventory.

Tag: Augmented Reality Gaming

Vodafone Buffer Busters