Maggi, a beloved household brand, faced the challenge of promoting its new Maggi Kari instant noodles (with 12 signature Asian spices) in a way that felt personally relevant to a broad audience (Male/Female, ages 18–44).

THE OBJECTIVE

The objective was clear: drive brand awareness and consideration for Maggi Kari, while reinforcing the product’s relevance during specific weather conditions. Traditional mobile ads often struggle to capture attention – especially among younger consumers who are quick to skip or ignore generic promotions. Maggi needed to break through ad fatigue with an experience that spoke directly to users’ immediate context.

One key insight stood out: consumers are far more receptive to hot, savory comfort food when the weather turns cloudy or rainy. Rainy days naturally trigger cravings for warm soup, making them perfect moments to remind people of Maggi Kari’s comforting spice and flavor. However, ensuring that a brand message coincides exactly with a user’s local weather is a logistical challenge. The team had to find a creative way to leverage real-time data so that the campaign would literally adapt to the audience’s environment.

THE SOLUTION

The solution would need to be cost-effective yet innovative, delivering high engagement without the luxury of a massive media spend. The context called for a mobile-first approach (given the always-on nature of the target audience) and a format more engaging than standard banner or video ads. Maggi set out to turn these challenges into an opportunity: could we use personalization technology to create a moment of joy that felt unique to each user, thus making Maggi Kari top-of-mind when it mattered most (like a rainy afternoon craving)?

Maggi brought the weather-personalized gaming concept to life through careful planning and innovative execution. The campaign was launched on AnyMind Group’s POKKT Mobile Ads network, allowing it to reach millions of mobile gamers seamlessly within their favorite apps. Here’s how the execution unfolded.

THE EXECUTION

Real-Time Weather Integration: At the moment a user encountered the Maggi Kari ad, the ad unit made a quick call to a real-time weather API using the device’s location data. In a split second, the game pulled the current local weather (cloudy, rainy, etc.) and dynamically adjusted the creative assets. For example, if the API indicated rain in the user’s area, the mini-game would load with a rainy-day theme: the background showed raindrops on a window and the ambiance hinted at cozy indoor warmth. Along with visual tweaks, the copy and messaging were also tailored – on a rainy day, users might see a friendly message like “Rainy day? Time for something warm and spicy!” to immediately connect Maggi Kari with the user’s comfort needs. This dynamic creative optimization ensured that each play session felt timely and personally relevant.

Engaging Gameplay: Once the personalised backdrop was set, users dove into a fast-paced mini-game built around Maggi Kari. The premise was simple yet addictive: feed the hungry avatar as many bowls of Maggi Kari as possible within 20 seconds. The gameplay was akin to a tap-based arcade challenge – soup bowls would appear on the screen, and the player had to quickly tap each bowl to “serve” it to the on-screen character. With each bowl served, the avatar’s hunger diminished a bit and a new fun fact or product benefit popped up, effectively rewarding the player with knowledge about Maggi Kari’s qualities.

For instance, after a couple of bowls, a graphic might flash “Maggi Kari – Sarap ng 12 Asian Spices!” reinforcing the key flavor message. Another bowl might trigger “Bouncy, hearty noodles in every serving!” – each snippet highlighting an aspect that makes Maggi Kari special. These engaging tidbits kept the gameplay rewarding and educational at once.

The objective for the user was to rack up as many bowls (points) as possible before time ran out, which kept them frantically tapping – and by extension, actively engaging with Maggi’s product story for the full duration.

THE RESULTS

The Maggi Kari – DCO Weather-Based Mini-Game campaign delivered outstanding results, validating the power of personalised mobile engagement. The campaign not only met its objectives of driving awareness and consideration – it did so by deeply engaging users in the exact moments that mattered.

The Innovative Playable Ad Experience: DCO Weather Mini Game

Key outcomes included:

• 9.3 million impressions: The campaign achieved massive reach through the in-app gaming network, putting the Maggi Kari brand in front of millions of eyeballs. Each impression was more than just a fleeting view; it was an invitation to interact.
• 11.7% engagement rate vs 3%-4% industry benchmark: Of all those who saw the ad, an impressive 11.7% actively engaged by tapping and playing the mini-game. This double-digit engagement rate is substantially higher than industry benchmarks for mobile ads.
• 0.83% click-through rate (CTR) vs 0.08-0.1% industry benchmark: The experience translated into concrete interest in the product, with 0.83% of all impression viewers clicking through to learn more or purchase after playing.
• 16-second average dwell time vs 5-10 second industry benchmark: On average, users spent about 16 seconds interacting with the Maggi Kari game ad. This far exceeds the few seconds a typical static or video ad might get, indicating a high level of sustained engagement.

Beyond the numbers, the qualitative impact was equally significant. By delivering a fun, context-aware experience, the campaign enhanced user perception of the Maggi brand – positioning Maggi as innovative, in-tune with customers, and willing to go beyond the ordinary to engage them. Many users were pleasantly surprised to see an ad change with the weather, which created a memorable moment and positive brand sentiment.

From an industry standpoint, the Maggi Kari Weather-Based Mini-Game set a new benchmark for personalisation in mobile marketing. It showed that with the right insight (linking weather to consumer desire) and creative execution, a brand can significantly boost engagement and effectiveness through personalization technology.