Spotted: Confectionary brand Trolli, part of the Ferrara brand, has debuted a video game, the “Deliciously Dark Escape”, where players protect their gummy avatars from various obstacles. 

The game comes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the confectionary industry hasn’t been hit as hard as others, fewer celebrations around Easter and Halloween ensured fewer sweets were bought, a fact which did take its toll.

The game can only be accessed by buying the Trolli gummy worms, contained in which is a QR code, which unlocks a secret website. Users can then access a 14-day PlayStation Plus trial, a Trolli Dynamic Theme for PS4 and the Trolli game. 

Gamifying the sweets is a strategic move: Dave Foldes, senior brand manager for Trolli, cites an Entertainment Software Association report that three-fourths of American households have at least one gamer, 21% of whom are younger than 18 years old. Leveraging the desires of this younger market is a sure way of guaranteeing sales in a year that hasn’t been advantageous for any retailer.

Their use of QR codes is also strategic: as their use on smartphones become more and more standard, the easy-to-access nature of the codes makes the game even more appealing to a consumer.

The Trolli gummy sweets, complete with QR codes, are available across the US. 

Written By: Holly Hamilton

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