HANDY HẢO HẢO: THE EFFORT RACE – HẢO CUP IN YOUR HANDS: PERSONALIZING THE GAME EXPERIENCE WITH SOOBIN

Campaign Context & Objectives

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Handy Hảo Hảo Instant Noodle Cups, Acecook launched the “The Effort Race – Hảo Cup in Your Hands – Celebrating Everyday Efforts” program. This AR gamification journey allowed users to play games, collect Hảo Cups, and compete on leaderboards for a chance to win valuable prizes.

Instead of merely using QR Codes on products to direct users to program information, Hảo Hảo transformed each product purchase into an opportunity to participate in a mobile game.

Partnering with Acecook, Marvy was responsible for designing the Mobile Game interface, developing the gameplay, and building the CMS system to manage players, scores, leaderboards, and rewards.

Featuring singer SOOBIN as the central character, the entire experience was crafted in a youthful, dynamic style with a prominent pink color palette, combining distinctive Hảo Hảo visuals to create a highly entertaining gamified race.

UI/UX Design – Featuring Pink Hues & SOOBIN Visuals

Marvy designed the entire Mobile Game interface in a casual game style, integrating SOOBIN's image, Handy Hảo Hảo products, and a vibrant, youthful visual system.

Pink was used throughout the interface, creating a dynamic feel consistent with the program's key visuals.

Mobile-first Experience

The entire game was designed for a smartphone experience, featuring:

• Vertical layout optimized for mobile screens.

• Large, easy-to-tap CTA buttons.

• Short and clear user flow.

• Intuitive character visuals.

• Gameplay instructions provided just before starting the game.

Users could quickly move from registration to gameplay without excessive steps.

Character Customization – Create a Unique Character

Before entering the race, players could set up their characters based on two factors:

Choose Your Favorite Instant Noodle Cup

Players selected one of the Hảo Hảo product lines integrated into the game.

This choice determined the character's outfit, with colors and designs inspired by the packaging of the chosen noodle cup.

Choose Your Gender

After selecting the noodle type, players needed to choose Male or Female, which allowed the system to determine the character's base body, physique, and corresponding outfit. Depending on the noodle flavor, the character's costume and game background would vary.

Football field background - Handy Hảo Hảo Hot & Sour Shrimp Noodle Cup 67g

Office background - Handy Hảo Hảo Tomyum Noodle Cup 67g

Kitchen background - Handy Hảo Hảo Vegetarian Mushroom Noodle Cup 67g

Street background - Handy Hảo Hảo Mini Hot & Sour Shrimp Noodle Cup 47g

Library background - Handy Hảo Hảo Mini Beef Satay Noodle Cup 47g

Crop Face & Dynamic Face Emotions – Integrating Player Faces and Reactions into the Game

After setting up their character, players could choose "Customize Character" to integrate their own image into the game.

The system guided users to take a selfie within an oval frame and sequentially captured three emotional states:

Normal → Happy → Sad

😐 Normal
The character maintains a normal expression when moving and without special interactions.

😄 Happy
When collecting the correct topping or scoring points, the character transitions to a happy expression.

☹️ Sad
When collecting incorrectly, missing ingredients, or losing points, the character transitions to a sad expression.

This mechanism created a sense of the character “reacting” to the player in real-time, making the personalized experience more intuitive, fun, and highly interactive.

After capture, the Crop Face technology processed the face and integrated it onto the 2D character body.

Players could preview each expression before confirming and could retake individual expressions if not satisfied.

 Image Processing & Error Handling

To ensure input quality, the system checked images during the capture process.

If an image was blurry, lacked a clear face angle, had inappropriate lighting, or if the system couldn't detect a face, users would receive a notification and be instructed to retake the photo before proceeding.

Gameplay – Catch Toppings, Accumulate Points

After completing their character setup, players entered The Effort Race.

The main task was to control the character, moving left/right to catch ingredients and toppings falling from the top of the screen.

Players needed to:

• Catch the correct ingredients to score points.

• Avoid ingredients not part of the recipe or obstacles.

• Monitor real-time score updates.

• Complete the game session within the time limit.

The gameplay was designed with a simple mechanism for users to understand how to play from the very first time, yet it still motivated them to try again and improve their performance.

Reward System – Turning Achievements into Rewards

After completing the gameplay, the system automatically tallied scores and returned results.

If the winning conditions were met, the player was shown:

• Total score achieved.

• SOOBIN's character with a joyful expression.

• Winning cup/gifts.

• Corresponding rewards, such as vouchers or gift codes.

• CTAs: [CLAIM REWARD], [SHARE], and [CHECK LEADERBOARD].

This mechanism created a clear loop:

Play → Score → Result → Reward → Share / Check Ranking

User Flow – From Noodle Cup to a Character with the Player's Own Face

Step 1. Start 

Users accessed the game and saw an Intro screen with program visuals, a representative character, and the [START] button.

Step 2. Character Selection & Customization 

The system guided players to capture three expressions: Normal, Happy, and Sad. The system saved the images and applied filters corresponding to each facial expression. Additionally, players could choose from pre-existing character templates, with outfit designs, backgrounds, and Male/Female bodies corresponding to the selected noodle cup and gender. 

[ADD GIF]

Step 3. Gameplay 

Players controlled their character by moving left/right to catch toppings and avoid those not required for collection. Scores were updated in real-time, and character expressions changed based on interaction results.

[ADD GIF]

Step 4. Results & Rewards

The system tallied and displayed scores after each play session. Eligible players could register to claim rewards, share their results, and check the leaderboard.

USERFLOW

CMS – Data Management & Operations System

In parallel with the Mobile Game, Marvy developed a CMS system to support the operations team in monitoring data throughout the program.

The CMS focused on managing critical data such as:

• Participant information.

• Promotion codes.

• Play history.

• Scores.

• Player achievements.

• Leaderboards.

• Reward data.

• Reward redemption status.

The system enabled the operations team to monitor and manage the campaign from a centralized platform.

Conclusion

“Hảo Cup in Your Hands” was more than just a mobile game for collecting toppings; it was a gamified experience personalized by the players themselves.

From choosing their noodle cup and character gender to creating their own avatar, each player could craft a unique character version and directly accompany that character on the race.

The combination of Personalized Character, Interactive Gameplay, Leaderboard, and Reward System delivered a seamless experience, while also motivating players to continue participating, accumulating scores, and conquering attractive rewards.

This project exemplifies the power of Gamification Marketing and Interactive Mobile Games in transforming brand interaction into a personalized entertainment experience that connects users with products.

Marvy proudly offers a diverse and unique AR, VR & Game ecosystem, with an experienced team in developing interactive technology solutions for brands.

If you're looking for a gamified experience tailored for your campaign, from ideation, UI/UX, and game development to the operating system, contact Marvy to create a distinctive experience for your brand.