What if a bank could get people off their phones and into the streets, using their phones? Reto Hey was an augmented reality scavenger hunt that turned Hey Banco's app and Instagram into a city-wide adventure.
Overview
Reto Hey was a cross-channel AR activation designed to drive account acquisition and deepen engagement among Hey Banco's young user base. The experience connected Instagram (for discovery and clues) with the Hey Banco app (for AR scanning and prize redemption) creating a scalable, low-cost alternative to the physical in-person activations previously used at national events.
01 — Definition We started by defining the core constraints: the experience had to work nationwide, be manageable by a small central team, reduce operational costs vs. physical activations, and drive both new account creation and existing user engagement.
02 — Ideation As a team we explored scavenger hunt mechanics and AR technology, researching how art galleries, gaming apps, and brand campaigns had used AR to create memorable moments. The winning idea: combine Instagram clues with an in-app AR scanner — two channels, one seamless experience.
How it worked: 📍 Hey Banco posted location clues on Instagram Stories and YouTube 🎯 Users found the physical winning ticket hidden at the location 📱 They opened the Reto Hey module inside the Hey Banco app 🔍 Scanned the ticket using AR — and discovered if they won
03 — Wireframing We mapped every screen in the flow: onboarding and login, game instructions, daily available games, location arrival confirmation, the AR scanning experience, prize reveal, error states, and end-of-game screens. Every step had to be intuitive enough that users could follow it in the middle of a busy public space.
04 — Guerrilla Testing We took early prototypes directly to users to test desirability, clarity of instructions, and overall understanding — fast, scrappy, and effective. The feedback shaped the final flow significantly.
Results
+2,000 new Instagram followers per week during the campaign 💬 Positive organic social media buzz (users posted about meeting other players)
Drove new account creation through a non-traditional, engagement-first funnel
Proved that a digital bank could create real-world community moments at low cost
Final thoughts
Reto Hey was one of the most creatively rewarding projects I've worked on. It pushed me to think beyond screens into physical space, social behavior, and the kind of experiences people actually want to talk about.
It also reminded me that the best product design isn't always about solving a problem. Sometimes it's about creating a moment worth remembering.
Also, here is the Instagram campaign that was created:
https://www.instagram.com/heybanco/p/Cz89f-tOCAF/?img_index=1
