Gamification

Weird word, cool concept. 

Gamification is the process of introducing game mechanics into marketing, sales and acquisition activity. Why? To increase customer engagement and deliver broader business objectives including increased revenues and brand or product loyalty. 

Game designers have long understood the most powerful motivators of human behaviour: status, achievement, rewards, self-expression and competition. The desire to gain recognition from peers, compete, collaborate and be rewarded for doing so keep us engaged with games. These are the motivators that can also make us engage with brands. Right now, brands are using these motivators and the game mechanics that work on them to gain customers and to keep them loyal. 

The momentum around gamification is starting to build. Market research group, Gartner, believes gamification will have as great an impact on consumer goods marketing as Facebook and Amazon. Furthermore, Gartner predicts over 70% of Global 2000 companies will have at least one gamified service by 2014.

As game builders we understand the principles, mechanics and technologies that drive gamification. We're marketeers too, so we understand the needs of the brand.  Take a look at the slides from the seminar Colin Cardwell gave on gamification (below) and read more about it on our blog. Then talk to us about how a gamification strategy can work for your brand.