Frozen treat Bomb Pops are often in high demand during a hot summer, but this year they’re also proving as popular in the metaverse as they are in the real world.
The brand is running an activation within Roblox’s restaurant simulation game, Restaurant Tycoon 2, from Aug. 22 to Sept. 5. Since the launch, players have served up 20 million Bomb Pops, smashing the brand’s original goal of selling 10 million virtual treats.
Created by the agencies Moonrock Labs and Gale, the activation allows players to add eight flavors of Bomb Pops to the menus of their digital restaurants. They can also decorate their virtual space with more than 50 branded items, including floor decals, curtains and chairs.
“Collaborative games, like Restaurant Tycoon 2 in Roblox, let people connect to the Bomb Pop brand in an interactive way,” Gale creative director Lindsey Brand told Adweek. “You get to know the product and get rewarded with limited-edition items through gameplay.”
This is Bomb Pop’s first outing in the metaverse as it works to reach a younger generation of customers. Players must be at least 13 years old to participate in the activation, which launched with a 15-second video showing off the limited-edition items.
“This campaign is about understanding gamers’ existing behaviors and delivering an entertaining branded activation,” Gale director of emerging connections Max Bass said in a statement. “Our goal this year is to get tweens to connect the iconic pop to the Bomb Pop name… We’re excited to say we are starting to see some really fun co-created spaces using the brand in unexpected ways.”
