Case Study
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AR Hidden Gem Discovery Game
Overview
Our client wanted to inspire a love for travel through a culturally immersive and family-friendly digital experience. The goal was to transport visitors to Switzerland — without leaving the Gardens by the Bay, Singapore — using the power of storytelling, gamification, and mobile technology. They needed a lightweight, app-free solution that could engage visitors, collect leads, and provide personalized takeaways.
Our Solution: “The Hidden Gem Discovery Game”
We designed a QR-powered interactive mobile web app that guided visitors through a playful, location-based journey across seven digital destinations — each representing a unique cultural or scenic highlight of Switzerland. The experience was designed to be educational, intuitive, and rewarding.
Interactive Swiss Map Adventure
The game revolved around a scrollable map that displayed seven iconic destinations. Each tap unlocked a location-specific mini-game or scan-to-collect challenge, tied to physical installations around the park.
Tap-based or scan-based interactions tied to real-world props
Mini-games that reflected cultural, geographical, or historical themes
A floating treasure chest to show overall progress
“Hint” button to guide users to the next location
Gamified Learning & Exploration
Each destination featured a unique interaction — from puzzles to quizzes to AR photo opportunities. These games were designed to educate and entertain.
Quiz about major cities’ landmarks and history
Puzzle game reconstructing a scenic mountain view
Scan challenges linked to props (e.g., alphorns, travel passes, floral displays)
AR-enabled postcard photo moments
Collect, Track & Win
Throughout the journey, users collected animated digital gems and cultural items that were visually tracked via a virtual passport and treasure chest.
Progression Mechanics:
Each completed interaction added a stamp and item to their collection
Once all seven were collected, users unlocked access to a digital takeaway
Participation triggered entry into weekly and grand prize draws
Personalized Postcard Memories
At three key destinations, users were invited to take a digital postcard photo using themed AR filters. These photos could be saved, downloaded, and shared on social media with campaign hashtags.
Bonus Incentive:
Uploading at least one photo qualified users for an additional prize draw entry.
Your Swiss Itinerary – Personalized Digital Takeaway
Upon completing the game, users were presented with a downloadable PDF that included:
A customized 8-day travel plan
A packing list tailored to the destination
Links to regional tourism partners and resources
All postcards and stamps collected
This acted as both a keepsake and a call-to-action to book their real-world journey.
Prize Mechanics
To reward participation and encourage sharing:
Weekly draws were held for branded merchandise
A real-time leaderboard tracked top finishers
The grand prize included return travel and full access passes, redeemable post-event
Tech Foundation
Frontend: A responsive, mobile-first web app using React.js
AR & Interactivity: Powered by 8th Wall WebAR for seamless scanning and camera effects
Backend: Google Cloud serverless architecture with Firestore, Firebase Auth, and Cloud Functions
Analytics: Real-time engagement data via Google Analytics and BigQuery
Hosting: Secure, scalable, and optimized via Google Cloud CDN
Security & Compliance:
Fully GDPR and PDPA compliant
HTTPS enforced
JWT-secured endpoints and encrypted user data
The Impact
The Hidden Gem Game turned a physical public space into an exploratory cultural playground. The combination of mobile web interactivity, physical-world tie-ins, and personalized takeaways resulted in:
High dwell time at the activation zones
Increased awareness and favorability for key tourism partners
Lead generation at scale with minimal infrastructure
Rich, shareable moments captured by families and travelers alike
Conclusion
This project demonstrates how immersive storytelling, gamification, and WebAR can come together to promote global destinations in engaging and measurable ways. With no downloads, no hardware dependency, and high emotional resonance, this digital journey made culture and exploration accessible to all — right in the heart of Singapore.