Pizza Hut will debut an augmented reality mobile game this NFL season that allows users to unlock a virtual game of cornhole. To access the augmented reality version of the tailgating pastime, fans must scan specially marked pizza boxes using the Beanbag Blitz app.
The game is turn based and meant to be played on a single smartphone. Users can toss beanbags into a hole on the pizza box by flicking their finger on their phone’s screen. The game is also playable without ordering a pizza, but not in AR.
“We tapped into technology to deliver a truly immersive gameday experience to fans—specifically combining what they’re most passionate about: their team, the spirit of competition, and of course, pizza,” said Zipporah Allen, chief marketing officer for Pizza Hut US in a statement. “Incorporating this AR component into our lineup of new experiences is broadening our digital portfolio and engaging fans in a completely new way.”
In February, Pizza Hut was announced as the new official pizza sponsor of the NFL just one day after the league cut ties with Papa Johns. (Last November, Papa John’s founder John Schnatter, had blamed his company’s decreasing sales on national anthem protests by NFL players. Schnatter has since stepped down from his leadership role at Papa John’s after being caught making racist comments.) Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers Antonio Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster recently starred in Pizza Hut’s first national NFL television campaign.
As part of its first season as the NFL’s official pizza sponsor, Pizza Hut launched a new digital campaign within its Hut Rewards program called Game Plan. The campaign provides fans with access to special deals, weekly football-themes prizes, and kickoff alerts for their favorite NFL team.
SportTechie Takeaway
While Nike is directly taking sides in the NFL protests by linking up with Colin Kaepernick, Pizza Hut is sidestepping controversy. You may recall its campaign with Grant Hill released during the NCAA’s March Madness tournament that features basketball shoes capable of ordering a pizza.
The cornhole mobile app is the latest example of a sponsor or league finding a creative way to integrate AR into a fan’s viewing experience. In June, the NFL Players Association partnered with augmented video company Octi to let fans create clips in which they interact with various NFL player avatars.