
PizzaExpress
- AR
- Branding
- Digital
- Photography
- Video
PizzaExpress likes to create experiences as much as they enjoy making pizzas. It’s in their DNA. Our fun AR mobile game takes the brand’s iconic Dough Balls and creates an experience for the whole family.
Challenge
With a passion for innovation, the well-loved PizzaExpress brand were looking for a way to engage and entertain their younger audiences. And with the World Cup just around the corner, we got to work thinking up a mobile game that combined two of our favourite things – football and pizza.

Approach
We created ‘Doughball’; an Augmented Reality mobile football game which allows diners to shoot Dough Ball footballs into a 3D goal that can be placed right on their table, just by using their phone’s camera. To give everyone around the table a slice of the action, we implemented a multiplayer mode and a global online leaderboard allowing users to battle it out for the top ten spots.

Throughout the process we worked closely with PizzaExpress to develop a game that integrated seamlessly into their existing application, making PizzaExpress the first UK restaurant brand to integrate an AR game right into their own app.


Results
400,000+
App downloads
Recognition
“ We are always looking at ways we can improve our customers’ experiences and our new app does just that. For some, technology at the table has become a mealtime feature, so instead of families spending quality time hunched over their phones, with Doughball everyone can get involved in a 60 second ‘flick-about’ before the main event – eating pizza - kicks-off. ”
Timothy Love, Senior Marketing Manager - PizzaExpress