Step Into a Universe of Fun!
My Happy Place
4 Jun - 7 Jul 2024
Overview
A first-of-its-kind in-app metaverse experience integrated directly into the McDonald's Singapore mobile app; designed to transform passive loyalty users into active brand participants through play, personalization, and phygital rewards, without requiring separate downloads.
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• McDonald’s • Coca-Cola
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Lead product designer across the full project lifecycle. I identified the market gap, defined the core hypothesis, led competitive platform research, facilitated focus groups with McDonald's crew and superfans, designed all interactive zones and user flows, iterated through 3 distinct phases of development, and managed app integration testing alongside the engineering team. I owned design decisions from world architecture to reward redemption UX.
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• Figma • Google Forms • 1:1 interviews • Focus Groups • Mobile Research • Notion
232k
Total Users
190k
Unique Users
1.3M
Gameplay Sessions
6m 39s
Session Duration
TL;DR
The Problem
Existing metaverse platforms like Decentraland and The Sandbox required complex crypto wallet setups, separate downloads, and virtual land purchases costing up to $12,000 per parcel, making them inaccessible to mainstream QSR audiences. Meanwhile, traditional loyalty programs were purely transactional, offering no emotional connection beyond discounts. There was no accessible, brand-owned solution that bridged immersive digital engagement with real-world value.
The Opportunity
In 2023, while conceptualizing innovative engagement strategies for McDonald’s Singapore, I recognized a fundamental challenge in the QSR digital landscape:
Mobile app users were experiencing transactional relationships with QSR brands, lacking deepr emotional connections beyond ordering and rewards.
The market showed growing appetite for immersive digital experiences, particularly among GenZ and Millennials seeking enertainment value from brands.
Web3 and metaverse technologies presented an immediate opportunity to create differentiated, engaging brand experiences without requiring separate app downloads.
Concept Vision
My Happy Place functions as an always-accessible brand universe where digital engagement drives real-world value. Users can craft virtual burgers, design personalized McDonald's restaurants, and explore interactive features like the Slide-Thru, Happy Van, Postbox, and Coca-Cola Magic Fountain.
The platform centers on a fundamental principle: remove barriers to immersive experiences so users can seamlessly move between digital play and tangible rewards. Daily interactions through the Wheel of Deals unlock in-store offers, digital wearables, and exclusive phygital prizes, while Grimace Digital Collectible holders access premium areas and benefits, creating tiered engagement without exclusion.
Case Study
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Case Study ✳
Core Hypothesis
These observations led me to explore whether it was possible to create a seamless in-app metaverse experience that could transform passive app users into active brand participants through play, personalization, and rewards—bridging digital and physical experiences while maintaining accessibility for non-crypto-native audiences.
To guide this exploration, I began asking a few key questions:
What existing engagement patterns could be elevated through gamification and virtual experiences while preserving the brand’s core values?
What would a truly seamless phygital experience look like, where digital achievements translate to real-world rewards?
How can the system ensure balance between innovation and usability, so technology enhances rather than overwhelms the user?
How can metaverse technology enhance brand loyalty without creating friction or requiring technical expertise from users?
How might Web3 mechanics (digital wallets, collectibles) be simplified to feel intuitive and valuable for mainstream McDonald’s app users?
How can the system ensure a balance between stability, so technology enhances rather than overwhelms the user experience?
The My Happy Place metaverse represents the idea of joyful exploration and familiar comfort. The world design balances playful fantasy with McDonald's iconic brand elements, creating spaces where users feel invited to discover, play, and return. Each area embodies a specific aspect of the McDonald's experience, transforming brand touchpoints into interactive destinations that spark curiosity and engagement.
World Build
Behind The Design
Early rough sketchThe interconnected zones act as experience hubs, each offering distinct activities while maintaining visual and thematic coherence. From the Slide-Thru's dynamic racing game to the Coca-Cola Magic Fountain's element of surprise, the world architecture guides users through varied experiences with intuitive wayfinding and clear purpose. The spatial design balances open exploration with directed activities, ensuring users can navigate freely while always finding something meaningful to do.
How can a beloved brand like McDonald’s deepen emotional connections and drive sustained engagement while meeting users where they already are; within their existing mobile app experience.
The Problem
Accessibility Barriers
Existing metaverse and Web3 experiences required separate downloads, complex crypto wallet setup, and technical knowledge that excluded mainstream users
Engagement Limitations
Traditional QSR loyalty programs offered transactional rewards without emotional connection or memorable experiences beyond ordering
Engagement Limitations
Digital brand activations existed separately from physical touchpoints, with no bridge between virtual engagement and real-world value
Target Users
Relative to The Market
This competitive analysis was conducted in Q4 2023 through a combination of primary platform testing and secondary research. Each platform, Roblox, The Sandbox, and Decentraland was evaluated firsthand against six criteria directly relevant to McDonald's requirements: deployment cost, hosting model, data ownership structure, authentication complexity, integration feasibility with existing app infrastructure, and the technical skill required to build and maintain the experience.
Pricing data was sourced from each platform's published land marketplace at time of research. The $0 per parcel figure for My Happy Place reflects the self-hosted, browser-integrated architecture proposed as the solution, eliminating virtual land acquisition entirely. This analysis directly informed the decision to pursue in-app browser integration over any standalone metaverse platform deployment.
Key Findings
Challenges
✳Technical Constraints
✳Business Constraints
Phase 1
Concept Validation & Testing
Focus Group (Crew + Superfans)
Duration: 2 Days
From Feedback to Design
Feedback from McDonald's crew and superfans was synthesized into the core world design of My Happy Place, ensuring each interactive zone addressed both user expectations and McDonald's business objectives. Every design decision mapped directly to themes surfaced during focus group sessions, translating raw participant input into purposeful product features that balanced brand integrity with immersive engagement.
Utility and brand identity insights shaped the world's exclusive access mechanics and multi-dimensional spaces, allowing users to discover regional specialties, collaborate with brands, and personalize their experience within the McDonald's universe.
Social and community feedback guided the platform's connection layer, enabling users to gather virtually, and build identity through custom personas and collector ecosystems.
Gamification research validated core engagement loops including burger crafting, cooking competitions, and order-wait mini-games, while community building insights directly informed the digital and physical collectible release strategy that became central to the Grimace and McNugget drops.
Key Performance Indicators
Wayfinding in 3D The yellow brick road acts as a visual spine connecting all eight zones, guiding users intuitively without a traditional nav bar or menu hierarchy.
Onboarding as a Product Moment Swipeable welcome prompts introduce each interest point while assets load, transforming a technical loading screen into an orientation experience.
Single Unbroken Reward Loop Task completion in My Happy Place automatically redirects to McDonald's Rewards, no secondary app, no new account, no extra steps.
Tiered Access Without Exclusion Grimace's Secret Corner is gated for collectible holders, but visible to all, creating aspiration without locking non-holders out of core gameplay.
Simplified Mobile Controls All interactions designed around one joystick. The jump mechanic was removed post-testing after it caused collision exploits and trapped users at obstacles.
Avatar as Social Signalling Grimace-themed wearables function as visible status markers in the shared world, creating organic identity expression without requiring a social profile layer.
App to Reward Journey
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1. McDonald's App Homepage
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2. Loading Screen
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3. Read & Accept T&Cs
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4. Select Room
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5. Explore
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6. Check -In at WoD
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7. Complete Task
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8. Claimed
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9. Reward is Added to My Rewards
Discovery Across The Environment
Interest Points
Purpose
Maintain active users
Rewards refreshed daily to peak interest
Boost interest point visits and familiarity
Purpose
Maintain active users
Highlight the new LTO burger
Increase familiarity with its ingredients
Complete daily check-ins by engaging with tasks across various interest points
Claim rewards by completing daily tasks - automatically added to My Rewards
Redeem the rewards in-store from the McDonald’s app
Userflow
View your digital collectible on the big screen
Recognize and reward digital collectible holders
Claim exclusive Grimace themed wearable sets for your avatar
Purpose
Complete daily check-ins by engaging with tasks across various interest points
Claim rewards by completing daily tasks - automatically added to My Rewards
Redeem the rewards in-store from the McDonald’s app
Userflow
Enter the Build-A-Burger building
Instructions to the
Redeem the rewards in-store from the McDonald’s app
Userflow
Share a fun message with friends and family
Personalize your postcard message
Download the postcard to your device or share it directly with your contacts
Purpose
Tap the post box
Swipe to select a postcard
Download it to your device or send it directly to your contacts
Userflow
Purpose
Open-world creative space for designing a dream restaurant
User creations inform McD’s future restaurants
Users can explore and view other users’ creative restaurants
Create a new space
Select from a variety of furniture and decor pieces
Publish your space for others to explore
Userflow
View your digital collectible on the big screen
Recognize and reward digital collectible holders
Claim exclusive Grimace themed wearable sets for your avatar
Purpose
Complete daily check-ins by engaging with tasks across various interest points
Claim rewards by completing daily tasks - automatically added to My Rewards
Redeem the rewards in-store from the McDonald’s app
Userflow
Purpose
View My Happy Place from an aerial perspective
Listen to curated tunes by Coca-Cola
Enjoy a multi-user shared experience
Step onto the Coca-Cola Magic Fountain platform to activate floating
Floating loops every 10 to 15 seconds
Move the joystick off the platform to stop the feature
Userflow
Check in daily to decorate the van
Reinforce McDonald's branding through sticker selections
Share your results with friends and family
Purpose
Tap the Happy Van
Swipe to select a sticker
Sticker is automatically applied and highlighted on the van
Userflow
Phase 2
Experience Refinement & User Testing
App Reward Journey Iterative Evolution
Testing Across Integrated Features + Migrated Data
Key Insights + Feedback From User Testing
Integrate API server with CAS services (deliver front end, user progress data)
Fetch client setting and features modifications
Data migration of CRID
Validating Changes Through In-Person + Remote Testing
Following concept validation, conducted comprehensive user testing across two distinct sessions with McDonald's crew members, superfans, and Grimace Digital Collectible holders:
In-person meetup at McDonald’s Singapore HQ that brought together top superfans and crew for hands-on testing while learning about upcoming campaigns and connecting with other brand enthusiasts.
Virtual Google Meet tour for Grimace Digital Collectible holders, testing premium features including exclusive access to Grimace's secret corner.
All interactive zones were systematically tested including burger crafting, restaurant design, Slide-Thru, Happy Van, Postbox, Coca-Cola Magic Fountain, and Wheel of Deals.
Key Insights + Feedback From User Testing
Experience Refinement & User Testing
Design Iterations Driven by User Insights
Experience Refinement & User Testing
App to Reward Journey Iterative Evolution
Initial Findings
Phase 3
Campaign Driven Design Updates
Hidden Easter Eggs for User Discovery and Engagement
McDonald's month-long McNugget campaign run alongside My Happy Place created an opportunity to introduce the McNugget Digital Collectible within My Happy Place. User feedback indicated desire for more discoverable content tied to future campaigns, while Grimace holder Telegram discussions revealed strong demand from users who missed the initial drop and wanted another opportunity to join the collector community.
Hidden McNugget-themed Easter eggs were integrated throughout the My Happy Place that served dual purposes: complementing the physical campaign while hinting at the upcoming collectible release. This approach addressed community demand for expanded access while demonstrating how My Happy Place could flex alongside McDonald's marketing calendar, creating a repeatable model for future campaign integration.
Hidden Easter Eggs for User Discovery and Engagement
McDonald's month-long McNugget campaign run alongside My Happy Place created an opportunity to introduce the McNugget Digital Collectible within My Happy Place. User feedback indicated desire for more discoverable content tied to future campaigns, while Grimace holder Telegram discussions revealed strong demand from users who missed the initial drop and wanted another opportunity to join the collector community.
Hidden McNugget-themed Easter eggs were integrated throughout the My Happy Place that served dual purposes: complementing the physical campaign while hinting at the upcoming collectible release. This approach addressed community demand for expanded access while demonstrating how My Happy Place could flex alongside McDonald's marketing calendar, creating a repeatable model for future campaign integration.
Results & Impact
Proven Daily Check-in Approach
The Wheel of Deals required users to check in daily and complete tasks, which not only drove total user growth but also encouraged visits to interest points, gameplay participation, and in-store reward redemption. This approach successfully demonstrated that structured, interactive incentives can drive both digital engagement and real-world conversions.
Key Performance Indicators
Campaign period: 4 June - 7 Jul 2024
Total WoD check-ins: 103,091
Total in-store redemptions: 22,226
Peak performance: W2 saw a spike driven by the Coca-Cola collaboration mechanism redemption reward
Business Impacts
Visits and in-store reward redemptions declined later in the month as certain rewards were recycled, reducing their appeal. Feedback from the Grimace Holders Telegram group indicated that these incentives were not compelling enough for users to redeem in-store that required a minimum spend.
Product Validation Insights
While daily check-ins initially drove strong participation, performance in W3 and W4 did not sustain the same momentum. Spikes earlier in the campaign indicate that high-perceived-value rewards, including physical merchandise and digital wearables, generated stronger engagement. In contrast, recycled menu-based rewards in the later weeks were less compelling, contributing to a decline in participation. This highlights that reward novelty and perceived exclusivity play a more critical role in sustaining engagement than repetition alone.
Gameplay Mechanics
Gameplay variations were strategically tied to the Wheel of Deals to increase visits and drive repeated interactions. A mix of single-player and multi-player mechanics was introduced to appeal to different user motivations, from individual exploration to friendly competition. Each experience was purposefully designed to spotlight the LTO burger, inspire future restaurant design concepts, and create competitive dynamics that encouraged replay.
Key Performance Indicators
Campaign period: 4 June - 7 Jul 2024
Total users: 232k
Top attraction: Coca-Cola Magic Fountain (874,629 total gameplays)
Total gameplay sessions: 1,374,171
Average session duration: 6m 39s
Business Impacts
While Build-A-Burger and Restaurant of the Future included social elements to promote competition, their core mechanics remained largely single-player and lacked a truly shared experience. Without embedded multi-player dynamics, they did not generate strong repeat behaviour, resulting in lower engagement and fewer returning visits
Product Validation Insights
Interest points designed around multi-player interaction and competition drove strong engagement. The Coca-Cola Magic Fountain (24.15% sessions per user) and Slide-Thru (23.5% participation rate) experiences generated high repeat interaction volumes, indicating that users were not only visiting but actively replaying. This validates that socially driven, competitive mechanics are more effective at converting overall users into active participants and sustaining deeper engagement throughout the campaign.
Next Steps
1. Sustaining engagement beyond campaign:
The data showed a clear participation drop in W3 and W4 as rewards became repetitive and recycled. The core fix is not more rewards, it's better reward architecture. I would introduce a rotating seasonal content model where new zones, limited-time Easter eggs, and exclusive collectible drops are tied to McDonald's broader marketing calendar on a structured cadence, creating genuine anticipation rather than habitual check-in fatigue.
2. Deepening multiplayer mechanics:
The Coca-Cola Magic Fountain (874,629 gameplays) and Slide-Thru (23.5% participation rate) dramatically outperformed single-player experiences.
My next design priority would be rebuilding Build-A-Burger and Restaurant of the Future with embedded social dynamics: shared building modes, leaderboards with friend visibility, and co-op challenges that unlock rewards only through collaboration. The data validated that social competition converts casual visitors into active, returning participants.
3. Improving reward perceived value:
In-store redemptions declined when rewards required minimum spend thresholds with recycled menu items. I would redesign the reward tier structure to prioritize novelty and exclusivity: physical merchandise, digital wearables, and early access to new menu items, while removing minimum spend requirements on base-tier rewards to reduce friction at the final conversion step.
4. What I would do differently from the start:
Build the reward novelty framework before launch, not in response to decline data
Advocate earlier for a persistent world that lives beyond campaign windows, positioning My Happy Place as an always-on brand channel rather than a campaign microsite