What is Gamification?

Gamification is the use of game-like elements and mechanics in non-game contexts to engage and motivate people to achieve their goals.  It works by applying game-like elements such as rewards, points systems, leaderboards, achievements and challenges to a marketing campaign, this is seen to motivate people to engage with their content in a fun and interesting way. 

One example of a successful gamified marketing is Nike’s #Breaking2 campaign in 2017. Designed to challenge runners to break the two-hour marathon barrier, it involved a combination of social media, leaderboards, rewards, and challenges to do so. As a result, the campaign was a runaway success, with runners around the world taking part and millions of people engaging with the campaign across social media. On the other hand, not all gamified marketing promotions get over the line. Burger King’s “Whopper Detour” drive in 2018 is a prime example of this. The campaign used geofencing via a Burger King app, to prompt a Whopper give-away to customers who drove within close proximity to a McDonald’s. The campaign was seen as intrusive and gimmicky, and many customers were confused and angered in equal measure by the attempt to lure them away from McDonald’s. As a result, the campaign was widely panned.

A more recent successful gamification campaign was the 'Quiz Your Way to a Better Planet' campaign by WWF UK. The campaign encouraged people to take an online quiz to test their knowledge about the environment and featured prizes for those who scored the highest.

Those readers with a Fitbit are likely participants in Fitbit’s  comprehensive rewards program that encourages wearers to reach their fitness goals, earning points for completing daily challenges.

Here at Monkey House we have a room full of gamification ideas and concepts that we can put into practice.  To learn how your company can become a winner in the use of gamification, let’s talk.

 Source: Forbes.com - Gamification: What Marketers Need To Know About Using Game Mechanics In Their Campaigns (2020)