Subway slides into gaming to mark Subdog’s return

September 2, 2025 10:23

Subway Australia has released a bespoke gaming platform to raise consumer awareness of its Subdog and the new Loaded Subdog range.

The sandwich giant’s new Community Hub hosts a tournament that gives players the opportunity to compete for in-game and real-world prizes via EA Sports FC matches.

Rewards include Doordash vouchers for Subway Loaded Subdogs, coupons for gaming marketplace Steam, and a VIP trip to the EA FC Festival in Vietnam.

The Subway Community Hub also allows players to join one of three “country-themed teams” inspired by the Loaded Subdog flavours. They are USA (based on the BBQ bacon loaded flavour), Germany (original flavour), and Mexico (Mexican loaded flavour).

When discussing the initiative, Rodica Titeica, Subway ANZ’s director of marketing, said the goal was to foster a sense of community while building awareness of the Subdog.

At the same time, the move reflects the brand’s strategy of investing in new avenues that make it socially innovative and relevant.

“Tapping into new opportunities that push the boundaries of social relevance and innovation is a key focus for Subway®, particularly when it comes to targeting Gen Z,” Titeica said in a media release.

“We’re proud to launch something that feels both culturally sharp and unmistakably Subway, as the first gaming initiative of its kind across Australia and New Zealand.”

The brand enlisted the services of Team Fresh — Publicis Groupe’s agency model comprised of Publicis Worldwide Australia and Zenith Media Australia for Subway ANZ — along with gaming media company Player Media, and enterprise platform Rival X, to deliver the campaign.

Rival supports the project’s hub with scheduling for the tournament, while Player Media manages the campaign’s in-game ad placements. The Subway Community Hub also supports “real-time rewards tracking” and integrations with e-commerce channels and communication platform Discord.

“Gaming is no longer just a channel, it’s a cultural arena where brands can connect with consumers in real time,” Rival X chief executive officer, Matt Virtue, said in the release.

“We’re creating a fully immersive, participatory experience – one that drives deeper engagement and brand recall than passive viewership ever could.”

“Gaming delivers what brands crave: attention, emotion, and community,” Suzi Black, client partner at Zenith Australia, part of Team Fresh, said in the same release.

“This is a QSR category-first in ANZ with Rival X, boldly stretching the brand into new spaces to meet the future of audience expectations.”

2025 has been a busy year for Subway. Most recently, at the beginning of August, the sandwich chain announced a competition where the winner would receive free sandwiches for life. A month earlier, its Ultimate Cheesy Garlic Bread returned to the market for a limited time only.

On top of rotisserie-style chicken being added to its menu, Subway’s Signature Menu grew with the additions of two flavours.

In January, it stood alongside ANZ and Qantas Frequent Flyer as official sponsors of Ooh Media’s out-of-home coverage for the Australian Open. The partnership was promoted as a way for the three brands to make full use of “deeper integration opportunities” between their own creative and content from the tennis tournament.