Code Moo and the Three Pillars of Engagement: A Case Study in Missed Opportunities

Over the years, I’ve seen countless brands attempt to battle the elusive beast of customer engagement through gamification. Some succeed brilliantly, while others—despite best intentions—miss the mark. The latest entry into this ever-evolving space is Chick-fil-A’s Code Moo campaign, a gamified experience that, at first glance, seems promising. But as with many things, the devil is in the details.

Superficially, the 2024 edition of Code Moo is a commendable effort, milking the success of last year’s campaign. The concept is charming—a herd of cows on a mission to reclaim the highway, painting over billboards and dodging obstacles in their trusty vehicles. The visuals are high quality and appropriate without being cheesy. The theme is on-brand, and the game is seamlessly integrated into the existing Chick-fil-A app. The length of each play session feels just right, ensuring that players can engage without the game overstaying its welcome. There’s even a layer of mystery with weekly surprise food rewards, which adds an element of intrigue.

But as anyone who has delved deep into gamification knows, the true test of a campaign isn’t how it looks on the surface—it’s whether it engages in a way that’s meaningful, sustainable, and ultimately beneficial to both the brand and the customer. This is where Code Moo begins to falter.

Where Code Moo Excels—and Where It Doesn’t

The mechanics of Code Moo are familiar to anyone who has spent time with games like Temple Run. It’s an “endless runner”—a genre that has proven its staying power by blending simplicity with a compelling loop of action and reward. You tap to change lanes, swipe to dodge obstacles, and in Code Moo’s unique twist, tap to repaint billboards with the iconic “Eat Mor Chikin” message. It’s a design that works well for its intended audience—young or casual players who want a fun diversion rather than a hardcore gaming experience.

However, where Code Moo stumbles is in its lack of depth. The choices players make—whether it’s selecting a character, choosing a vehicle, or even deciding to go after certain powerups—have little to no consequence on the gameplay or the outcome. The game is easy, perhaps intentionally so, to avoid frustrating a casual audience. But without meaningful consequences or the possibility of failure, there’s no incentive to push players to engage more deeply or replay missions for a better outcome.

The rewards structure is another area where the campaign falls short. While the promise of free food is undoubtedly a strong motivator, it’s a purely extrinsic one. Once players have claimed their prize—be it a cookie, fries, or nuggets—there’s little reason for them to return. The game doesn’t offer any intrinsic rewards that could drive ongoing engagement, such as unlocking new content or achieving higher levels of mastery.

Learning from the Past: The Ghost of Advergaming

This campaign reminds me of the “advergaming” trend from the 1990s, where companies like Nabisco tried to capture customer attention with simple online games. These efforts were often thin, offering mindless engagement with little substance behind them. They might have been good at attracting initial interest, but they were notoriously poor at fostering lasting connections with customers or driving meaningful business outcomes.

Code Moo, unfortunately, feels like a modern echo of those past missteps. It’s a game that engages on a very surface level, offering a brief distraction but failing to build a deeper relationship between the player and the brand.

Reimagining Code Moo: Strategies for True Engagement

Incorporating video game design elements into loyalty programs offers a powerful approach to enhancing user engagement and driving customer loyalty. Central to this strategy are PUG’s 3 Pillars of Engagement: interesting choices, consequences of choices, and time pressure. By integrating these elements, traditional loyalty programs can be transformed into dynamic platforms that continuously captivate and motivate users. PUG’s 3 Pillars provides a novel framework for businesses seeking to create a dynamic and interactive experience that keeps users continuously involved. To create a more robust and engaging experience, Chick-fil-A could take several steps:

1. Extend the Campaign Year-Round: Why build up hype and interest only to let it fizzle out after four weeks? A year-round campaign would allow Chick-fil-A to build sustained engagement, rather than a brief spike of interest followed by a drop-off. This would also provide ongoing opportunities to drive customer behavior positively over a longer period.

2. Introduce Meaningful Consequences and Choices: Imagine if choosing between Daisy, Carrots, and Sarge actually affected gameplay—each vehicle offering unique abilities or challenges. Or if different missions offered different rewards, with players needing to strategize which to pursue. Adding these layers would make the game more compelling and give players a reason to return, experiment, and strive for better outcomes.

3. Incorporate Intrinsic Rewards: Beyond just giving out food, the game could offer intrinsic rewards—like unlocking new levels, earning special power-ups, or even discovering Easter eggs hidden throughout the game. These would provide motivation to play for the sake of the experience itself, rather than just the reward at the end.

4. Integrate “Funstration”: As I’ve discussed before, a little bit of frustration—when managed well—can actually enhance engagement. By introducing levels that are genuinely challenging, where failure is possible but not punishing, Code Moo could tap into the satisfaction loop that drives so many successful games. Players might fail a mission and be encouraged to try again, pushing them to engage more deeply with the game and, by extension, the brand.

Looking Ahead: Measuring Success and Impact

The true measure of success for a gamified campaign like Code Moo isn’t just the number of players or the amount of food redeemed. It’s whether the campaign fosters stronger relationships between Chick-fil-A and its customers. Are players engaging in ways that reinforce positive behavior? Are they sharing their experiences with friends? Are they more likely to visit a Chick-fil-A because of their positive interactions with the brand?

Right now, Code Moo misses these deeper opportunities. The game is fun, yes, but it’s also fleeting—offering little beyond the initial playthrough. For Chick-fil-A, and any brand looking to gamify customer engagement, the goal should be to create experiences that are not only enjoyable but also meaningful, driving lasting loyalty and positive brand associations.

In the end, a game like Code Moo could be more than just a fun distraction. It could be a tool to build a community, foster brand loyalty, and create memories that last well beyond the next meal. But to achieve that, the game needs to dig deeper, offering more than just a quick snack—but a truly satisfying meal.