Bausch + Lomb
Santa Quest
01 Overview
An Interactive Experience
Santa Quest was developed as an interactive mobile experience designed to engage users in China with an immersive location-based game. The campaign aimed to promote the client’s contact lens product by emphasizing its clarity and durability even after prolonged use. Inspired by "Pokémon GO," the game challenged players to explore city locations at night, following clues to track down Santa Claus. Winners participated in a lottery for a grand prize, driving engagement, brand awareness, and foot traffic to designated locations.
Key Tasks
Concept Development
UX Research
Wireframing
Prototyping
User Journey Mapping
UI Design
Campaign Execution
Team Collaboration
Client Presentation
Iterative Design Refinement
Role
Lead UI/UX Designer
Art Director
Project Type
UI/UX Design
Timeline
6 Months
02 Project Goal
High-Level Statement
Design an interactive game experience that blends gamification, real-world exploration, and brand storytelling to engage users and demonstrate product performance in a unique and memorable way.
03 Challenges
Designing for Immersion and Engagement
User Retention
With a saturated digital landscape, keeping users engaged throughout the scavenger hunt was a key challenge.
Seamless UI/UX
The interface had to provide intuitive navigation while keeping players immersed in the real-world experience.
Nighttime Visibility
The game was designed for nighttime use, necessitating high-contrast UI elements and optimized navigation for low-light conditions.
Brand Integration Without Disruption
The promotion of the contact lens product had to feel organic within the gameplay, rather than appearing as an intrusive ad.
Campaign Execution & Logistics
Coordinating in-person event elements, location-based interactions, and real-time game updates required a well-planned UX strategy.
75%
of surveyed users preferred immersive, story-driven campaigns over static promotions, guiding our decision to build an interactive, mission-based experience.
47%
of mobile gamers reported frustration with cluttered UI and confusing navigation, leading us to design a clean, intuitive interface with a clear visual hierarchy and streamlined menus.
55%
of test participants expressed concern over excessive battery drain in mobile games, prompting us to optimize performance and reduce unnecessary background processes.
40%
of competitor analysis insights emphasized the importance of reward-based engagement, leading to the introduction of progressive incentives to maintain user interest.
04 Research
Understanding the user
To ensure Santa Quest delivered an engaging and intuitive experience, we conducted extensive UX research specifically tailored to the Chinese gaming market. Our research aimed to uncover behavioural patterns, usability barriers, and preferences unique to mobile gamers in China. We gathered feedback from over 1,000 respondents through online surveys, providing insights into user interactions with mobile games and expectations for location-based challenges. Additionally, we conducted focus groups in Shanghai and Beijing to test prototypes and gather further feedback. We also analyzed the mechanics and design features of competitors to identify those with high retention rates. Finally, we conducted usability testing with 200 real users, allowing us to observe their interactions with the platform in real-time. User journey recording identified areas of confusion and slowed progress, leading to interface adjustments to align with user behaviours and expectations.
04 Research
Rewards Keep Players Engaged
Implementing a dynamic reward system ensured continued participation, as users remained motivated to complete challenges and reach milestones.
Simplified UX Improves Player Retention
A streamlined interface with clear navigation and visual hierarchy reduced user frustration, making it easier for players to complete challenges and stay engaged.
Engagement Requires Strong Narrative
Users responded best to interactive storytelling, which led to the integration of structured missions and real-world challenges that kept them motivated and immersed.
05 Key Learnings
45%
increase in player engagement due to the nostalgic visual style and immersive storytelling.
60%
improvement in navigation efficiency after UI simplifications and streamlined user flow.
50%
rise in completed missions as a result of structured incentives and progressive rewards.
35%
boost in social media shares through integrated in-game achievements and user-generated content.
06 Result & Impact
Design Solutions
The design of Santa Quest was guided by research insights, ensuring user engagement through a distinct visual style, interactive storytelling, and mission-based challenges. A nostalgic 8-bit art style was selected as the main visual theme, drawing inspiration from the childhood gaming experiences of the target audience. To further immerse players in the narrative, the game incorporated location-based characters and landmarks, developing unique maps for four major Chinese cities. Each map was designed to highlight cultural elements, integrating local legends and well-known urban sites to create a rich and engaging experience. Players were incentivized to explore these locations, uncover hidden items, and complete Easter egg challenges, fostering deeper interaction with the game. The user interface followed best practices in UX and UI design, ensuring seamless navigation and accessibility. A dark mode UI was implemented to enhance visibility during nighttime play, improving readability and reducing eye strain. The game also featured gamified navigation, incorporating interactive maps and progress-based incentives to maintain player engagement.
06 Result & Impact
Thanks for reading
UI/UX Design
Bausch + Lomb