Mashreq has unveiled the success behind its groundbreaking SMASHREQ campaign, which introduced the first-ever padel game on TikTok through augmented reality (AR). This innovative move has catapulted the campaign to the top of TikTok’s AR sensations, surpassing over 40 other games launched in the past two years.
The SMASHREQ campaign was designed to raise awareness of Mashreq’s long-standing commitment to padel and reinforce its positioning as a prominent player in the sports and wellness space. By tapping into digital engagement and gamifying padel, Mashreq aimed to not only connect with younger audiences but also strengthen its status as a “premiere padel brand.”
Leveraging creative, entertaining content, Mashreq showcased padel as a dynamic and social sport, appealing to both current followers and new audiences. The campaign fostered community-building while establishing a strong network of padel enthusiasts. In addition, Mashreq launched a targeted advertising film to amplify the campaign’s presence and drive engagement.
The campaign officially went live on TikTok on March 25, 2025, strategically coinciding with Ramadan’s peak social traffic. The game, which remains on the platform until May 25, 2025, has seen incredible traction over its first 30 days. Mashreq ensured maximum reach and relevance through a combination of programmatic pushes, digital PR, influencer endorsements, paid social content, and incentivized engagements.
Organic support from TikTok content creators further amplified the game’s popularity, with many influencers promoting it on their channels. Collaborations with prominent UAE and Egyptian padel players, including top athletes from the UAE Padel Association (UAEPA) and the Egyptian Padel Federation (EPF), also helped drive the campaign’s momentum by encouraging players to beat high scores and participate in challenges.
The SMASHREQ campaign shattered expectations with impressive performance metrics. Despite most TikTok content being consumed in 70-90 seconds, SMASHREQ achieved an astounding average dwell time of 200 seconds, far exceeding the norm by 143%.
According to Suad Merchant, Global Head of Brand, Partnerships, and Corporate Communications at Mashreq, “Players can’t get enough. With an average of 2-3 returns for another round, it’s clear that SMASHREQ is the game everyone’s talking about.”
Here are the campaign’s impressive results within the first 10 days:
UAE Campaign Performance
- Impressions: 10.2 million
- Reach: 6.09 million
- Views: 9.75 million
- Clicks: 278,000
Egypt Campaign Performance
- Impressions: 15 million
- Reach: 10.36 million
- Views: 14.5 million
- Clicks: 860,000
SMASHREQ has not only captivated the gaming community and Gen Z social media users but has also become a cultural phenomenon, demonstrating the power of innovation in brand engagement.
