Gamification - why is it so effective, and how to use it?
Gamification - why is it so effective, and how to use it?
Good games have a secret sauce that draws us in, making us play repeatedly. So what is the secret sauce? Games are fun! They are developed taking into consideration elements that will entertain us. Gamification applies game principles and mechanics to non-game experiences, thus making them fun and memorable. Gameloft, the largest international developer and publisher of mobile games, began using its gaming experience to create interactive and gamified advertising five years ago.
What is gamification?
Gamification is the process of adding game mechanics to an existing product or service. Unlike the game itself, which implies an imaginary situation, roles, and the participants' actions that implement them, gamification is applied to non-game processes improving their effectiveness. Gamification does not turn these processes into a game. Still, it gives the same emotions that make games so attractive, like pleasure, excitement, the joy of winning or the desire to continue to improve the result.
Gamification can be used in many spheres, such as education, human resource management, building business processes, working with habits, marketing, and advertising. This post will focus on the latter- advertising.
Gamification and advertising
Gameloft started interactive advertising and gamification in 2015. We had already accumulated 20 years of experience developing mobile games for children and adults and for all genres by that time. As a result, we learned how to engage people, keep their attention and make them remember the game and want to return to it. This knowledge came in handy when we opened the advertising direction and began to help brands find contact with our audience.
Nowadays, people spend more and more time with mobile devices, and as a consequence, the effectiveness of popular advertising channels is declining. For example, streaming video and music services have chosen a development model in which their customers can pay not to receive any ads. In addition, social networks are also going through hard times. The growth of new users is slowing down, and news feeds are filled with ads, and internal scripts limit the visibility of content that brands publish. On top of that, there is also the general overabundance of information: Youtube has 500 hours of new content every minute and five billion posts a day on Facebook. On the other hand, gamification allows brands to reach out to the target audience, communicate with them, and strengthen emotional bonds.
A recent internal survey conducted with our partners and players shows that 90% of users remember interactive ads at least two days after interacting with them, and 75% of representatives of media agencies confirmed that interactive ads and gamification are the best way to build trust with consumers.
How does it work?
Every brand wants its audience to keep coming back for more. But, to make people return to any activity voluntarily is tricky. Customers need a good reason for doing it. Gamification provides a series of actions and rewards like points, awards and achievements that hooks the audience. If a goal appears, the participant sees progress towards its achievement - and we intuitively devote more time to what works well and gives a visible result.
In addition, people like to apply the acquired skills and receive recognition of mastery, so competitive mechanics, and leaderboards are essential elements provided by gamification.
In a related story, the creation and development of an avatar make you want to know what's next. Training and development give a sense of value. All of these tools work great for engagement and retention.
Examples of gamified ads
Mobile devices have given a powerful impetus to developing the advertising path. Although static images or videos are still popular, marketers are no longer limited to them. Gamification allows brands to interact directly with their consumer and create unique experiences.
Non-standard advertising formats can be created based on ready-made banners and videos (in this case, the developer adds interactive interaction capabilities), or they can be developed from scratch as embedded mini-games or separate full-fledged applications. Thanks to HTML5, these formats can be run on smartphones and in the browser, digital billboards, and social networks.
Interactive video from brand video - Cheetos
An interactive video was created to promote a new product in an unusual package - customers could "drink" a snack from a pack. The plot of the finished commercial was divided into four parts, and an interactive element was added at the key transitions - the user had to take part in what was happening by turning the phone, clicking on the screen, etc.
Embedded mini-game for digital billboards in stores - Fanta
We created a gamified experience for Fanta’s new 360° campaign "The Mouth"—a 3D-animated mouth—and helped to position Fanta as a fun brand for teenagers. We developed a unique game, "A Saga dos Lanchos" ("Snack Saga"), in which a mouth jumps between platforms, devouring snacks and Fantas. The difference was in how players controlled the mouth: not by touch or direction, but by using their voices. The louder they shouted "Fanta," the higher the mouth jumped—a feature developed exclusively for the game.
Gameloft and Ogilvy partnered with brMalls to take the game offline, putting screens in shopping malls and encouraging hundreds of people to shout "Fanta" together. The Gameloft campaign was part of a 360° communications plan including TV and a dedicated website.
Gamification of educational activities in medicine
Arena Pharmaceuticals - To educate health professionals on the developments of new medicine, an educational application with a mini-game was created. It contained an instructional video, information about clinical trials, and a mini-game that simulated the principle of the effect of a drug on the processes occurring in the body. The application was used on interactive stands at conferences and posted on web resources.
Gamification is a powerful tool that can be used across different industries. When brands are having a hard time passing their message across, gamified solutions can help companies stand from the crowd through memorable initiatives.
Contact us to learn more about how gamification can level up your game!
