McDonald’s

Gaming platform

McDonald's

Gaming platform

McDonald's
Gaming platform

Reinventing playtime for children and parents

Reinventing playtime for children and parents

Client
McDonald’s

Project
Happy Studio

Agency
R/GA London

Role
UX Director

Client
McDonald’s

Project
Happy Studio

Agency
R/GA

Role
UX Director

The challenge.

To reinvent the Happy Studio platform to closer align with McDonald’s values of bringing families together and encouraging children to develop useful skills through purposeful play.

The challenge.

To reinvent the Happy Studio platform to closer align with McDonald’s values of bringing families together and encouraging children to develop useful skills through purposeful play.

A trusted platform.

Creating a secure, low threshold route to play was paramount to the experience. No complex registration or sign-up was required and no personal data was gathered. Any progress was stored locally and gameplay data was collected anonymously.

A trusted platform.

Creating a secure, low threshold route to play was paramount to the experience. No complex registration or sign-up was required and no personal data was gathered. Any progress was stored locally and gameplay data was collected anonymously.

A frictionless route to play.

With families sharing or having multiple mobile devices each user scenario had to be mapped out to ensure a no barrier entry into the platform.

A frictionless route to play.

With families sharing or having multiple mobile devices each user scenario had to be mapped out to ensure a no barrier entry into the platform.

McDonalds-routetoplay

With the app at its heart, the ecosystem expands into a wider world, connecting to the restaurant Happy Meal experience via interactive toys, as well as encouraging physical and group play within the family.

McDonalds-userjourney

“We’ve loved watching children enjoy playing Happy Studio and having the opportunity to develop across so many areas while they play.”

Lucy Gill, Fundamentally Children

“We’ve loved watching children enjoy playing Happy Studio and having the opportunity to develop across so many areas while they play.”

Lucy Gill, Fundamentally Children

Think. Make. Grow.

The re-imagined Happy Studio is grounded in the principles of epistemic play, a theory that children learn best when they’re engaged in experiences that let them behave like real professionals. Encouraging kids to act like professionals helps them to think creatively, make things they can be proud of, and grow their skills.

Think. Make. Grow.

The re-imagined Happy Studio is grounded in the principles of epistemic play, a theory that children learn best when they’re engaged in experiences that let them behave like real professionals. Encouraging kids to act like professionals helps them to think creatively, make things they can be proud of, and grow their skills.

Be a musician
Be an artist
Be an inventor

Developed with experts.

From the outset the app was developed with input from child development experts to inspire children to experiment and solve problems. We partnered with leading game creators to capture children’s imaginations and maintain engagement over multiple franchise windows.

Developed with experts.

From the outset the app was developed with input from child development experts to inspire children to experiment and solve problems. We partnered with leading game creators to capture children’s imaginations and maintain engagement over multiple franchise windows.

Rewards not rivalry.

Making the experience fun without the anxiety of competition was an important ambition. We created mischievous moments of delight, unencumbered by levels or points, and embraced the joy of trial and error by making failure as enjoyable as success.

Rewards without rivalry.

Making the experience fun without the anxiety of competition was an important ambition. We created mischievous moments of delight unencumbered by levels or points, and embraced the joy of trial and error by making failure as enjoyable as success..

Happy Rewards screen
Happy Rewards screen
Happy Rewards screen

Results

Results

#1

in kids and ages 6-8 apps

#1

in kids and ages 6-8 apps

#1

in kids and ages 6-8 apps

#1

in kids and ages 6-8 apps

#1

in kids and ages 6-8 apps

15,000,000

downloads

15,000,000

downloads

15,000,000

downloads

15,000,000

downloads

15,000,000

downloads

Top 5

in education apps

Top 5

in education apps

Top 5

in education apps

Top 5

in education apps

Top 5

in education apps

3x

return users

3x

return users

3x

return users

3x

return users

3x

return users

42

European markets

42

European markets

42

European markets

42

European markets

42

European markets

A family that plays together.

An accompanying parent portal communicates the platform’s developmental goals, providing resources for expanding mobile entertainment into real world activities and challenges for families.

A family that plays together.

An accompanying parent portal communicates the platform’s developmental goals, providing resources for expanding mobile entertainment into real world activities and challenges.

Happy Studio devices

Awards

Results

MMA Gold

Best Tablet Campaign

MMA Gold

Best Tablet Campaign

MMA Gold

Best Tablet Campaign

MMA Gold

Best Tablet Campaign

MMA Gold

Best Tablet Campaign

MMA Gold

Best Marketing within a Mobile Gaming Environment

MMA Gold

Best Marketing within a Mobile Gaming Environment

MMA Gold

Best Marketing within a Mobile Gaming Environment

MMA Gold

Best Marketing within a Mobile Gaming Environment

MMA Gold

Best Marketing within a Mobile Gaming Environment

MMA Silver

Best Mobile App

MMA Silver

Best Mobile App

MMA Silver

Best Mobile App

MMA Silver

Best Mobile App

MMA Silver

Best Mobile App

EMEA Silver

Mobile App

EMEA Silver

Mobile App

EMEA Silver

Mobile App

EMEA Silver

Mobile App

EMEA Silver

Mobile App

EMEA Bronze

Best Tablet Campaign

EMEA Bronze

Best Tablet Campaign

EMEA Bronze

Best Tablet Campaign

EMEA Bronze

Best Tablet Campaign

EMEA Bronze

Best Tablet Campaign

+44 (0)7980 635

+44 (0)7980 635

+44 (0)7980 635

+44 (0)7980 635

+44 (0)7980 635