Read time 5 minutes
Why It Matters:
The Estonian Football Association's innovative approach to fan engagement shows how gamification can transform passive consumption into active participation, driving not just engagement but real business outcomes like ticket sales and fan loyalty.
Key Takeaways:
The Estonian Football Association (EFA) boosted fan engagement and attracted new audiences by launching its first-ever gamified Drop Game campaign, transforming passive football followers into active participants and generating over 127 hours of direct brand interaction.
As the central organization responsible for the development and promotion of football in Estonia, the Estonian Football Association (EFA) continuously seeks new ways to strengthen its connection with fans.
While its official website and digital platforms attracted steady traffic, the EFA wanted to move beyond traditional content formats. The objective was clear: create an interactive experience that would captivate existing followers while attracting new audiences to Estonian football.
Rauno Põld, Marketing Specialist at EFA and the one-man marketing team behind the initiative, led the project.
He faced three key challenges:
• Passive Fan Consumption: Most digital engagement was limited to reading articles or viewing match updates.
• Limited Interactive Touchpoints: There was no gamified or participatory experience tied to national team stars.
• First-Time Gamification Implementation: This was EFA’s first-ever gamified campaign, requiring guidance and a smooth learning curve.
The campaign needed to feel authentic, football-centric, and accessible to fans of all ages — while delivering measurable engagement results.
EFA partnered with Optimove Minigames to launch an interactive Drop Game centered around Estonia’s national team goalkeeper, Karl Jakob Hein, who had recently gained international attention after signing with Arsenal.
Football-Themed Drop Game Featuring a National Star
In the game, players defended the goal as Karl Jakob Hein, catching footballs while avoiding flaming balls.
Three types of balls created dynamic gameplay:
Players had three lives, and game speed gradually increased — balancing accessibility with competitive challenge.
The mechanics were intentionally simple: easy to start, progressively more difficult. This “competence meets competition” structure ensured players of all skill levels could enjoy the experience while still striving for higher scores.
As Rauno summarized the community reaction:
“People were hooked!”
Frictionless Entry to Maximize Participation
To reduce barriers, players could begin the game immediately without entering contact details. Only after gameplay were participants invited to submit their information to appear on the leaderboard and enter a raffle.
The grand prize? A signed Karl Jakob Hein national team jersey — a reward instantly meaningful to true Estonian football fans.
This structure prioritized engagement first, and data capture second — a strategic decision that maximized participation.
Multi-Channel Promotion & Ongoing Value
The campaign was promoted through:
• EFA’s official website
• Social media
• Newsletters
• Website pop-ups
• Banner ads
• Outdoor digital screens
Additionally, EFA leveraged Adact’s flexibility to update campaign content in real time. During the live campaign, a banner promoting an upcoming match was added to the end screen, driving ticket sales through a built-in CTA.
Even after paid promotions ended, the campaign remained live — later updated with a T-shirt purchase CTA — extending its long-term value.
15,800+ Games Started & 3,000+ Unique Players
The campaign generated:
Most players returned to play more than 10 times, demonstrating strong repeat engagement.
127+ Hours of Direct Brand Engagement
With an average game time of 29 seconds, fans collectively spent over 127 hours actively engaging with the EFA brand — and that calculation only includes gameplay time.
For a first-ever gamified initiative, this level of voluntary interaction represents a major success.
Ongoing Organic Engagement
Even one month after stopping all paid advertising, the campaign continues to generate 20–80 daily game sessions organically from fans who bookmarked or shared the link.
This sustained activity highlights the “stickiness” of the game mechanics.
Strategic Lead Capture Insights
Since lead generation was not the primary objective, contact details were optional and requested after gameplay.
This resulted in slightly over 10% of unique players submitting their information — a deliberate trade-off that favored higher engagement.
For comparison, when contact details are mandatory before gameplay, average lead capture can reach around 70% of visitors — demonstrating how form placement dramatically impacts conversion rates.
Additional Ticket Sales Impact
The side-quest banner promoting an upcoming match drove measurable action, with 2% of players clicking through to buy tickets — converting gameplay into tangible business outcomes.
Discover how gamified campaigns can generate hours of engagement, increase loyalty, and create new revenue opportunities. Contact us to request a demo and launch your own interactive fan experience.
