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GAMIFICATION
these loops, you need to provide
interactions that engage users, give
them ways of expressing themselves
and progressing through the game, and
then reward them appropriately. There
are many different ways to achieve
this. Relevant techniques depend on
a company’s target market, objectives
and the anticipated customer behaviour
and response.”
Opportunities for marketing, notes Ried,
are lost when gamification is limited to
convincing customers to follow a static set
of rules. The technique is most effective
when it targets and captures the attention
of customers who respond instinctively
and enthusiastically, and who can quickly
grasp the procedures required and
engage with the game. The problem is
that the most responsive and potentially
lucrative gamers are also generally the
ones who quickly become accustomed
to games and grow bored.
“With this in mind, it is imperative
that a gamified system evolves with its
users through heavy use of analytics
and iterative (continual process)
improvements,” says Ried. “It’s about
challenging the status quo at every turn
and then gaining new insights, which can
be used to both improve a company’s
understanding of its customers and
continually challenge gamers to keep
them engaged and to keep modifying
their behaviour as required. I think it’s at
this point where South African companies
fall behind – often because of a fear of
the unknown.”
WHO IS GETTING IT RIGHT?
That’s not to say local businesses are not
getting it right. Van den Berg and Ried
concur that medical insurer Discovery
Health is among those leading the way
for gamification in the country, through its the potential of gaming and this is
‘sustained and progressive’ Vitality Active
Rewards programme.
What Discovery has achieved through
gamification is a great deal more than
48 strategicmarketing October 2016 – January 2017
selling medical cover, says Ried. The
company uses gamification well by
engaging its clients, and encouraging
and rewarding them for modifying
behaviour by constantly advancing the
game, based on clients’ performance.
The results speak for themselves.
Discovery Health has reduced the cost
of premiums and increased the rate
that members exercise by an average
of more than 25% since September
2015 by using various gamification
techniques. The initiative allows
members to set their own goals for a
? encourage engagement with a
It is most effective if
applied as a process
given period. On achieving these they
can access certain rewards, such as
a free smoothie or coffee, or they can
opt to donate their points to a charity
of their choice.
The future of gamification for
marketers, says Van den Berg, will
not be centred on ‘flashy’ campaigns,
but rather on building narratives that
weave though various elements and
mediums of marketing – and which
feature evolving, customised challenges
and encourage ongoing engagement
with individuals.
“The more companies learn about
their customers and the psychology
of their behaviour in relation to things research shows that few gamers
like augmented and virtual reality,
so they will be able to apply the tools
of gamification more effectively and
realise its full potential,” he says.
“Consider for example, the incredible
momentum of Pokémon Go in terms of
engagement, numbers and excitement.
Some might say it has demonstrated
scaring the pants off the business
world – like Facebook once did.”
The Foschini Group recently used an online?
game called Super Stan to help promote
an online sale. Nintendo’s hugely popular PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
Super Mario Bros inspired the game
DEFINITION OF
GAMIFICATION
The Oxford English Dictionary
defines gamification as follows:
“The application of typical
elements of game playing (e.g.
point scoring, competition with
others, rules of play) to other
areas of activity, typically as an
online marketing technique to
product or service.”
IN-GAME ADS ARE
SHOWING GROWTH
Online gaming has never been more
popular and an increasing number
of brands are considering in-game
advertising –the practice of inserting
advertisements in games – as part
of their media spend.
The touted benefits of in-game
advertising are that advertising
efficiency is improved because most
play experiences are enjoyable;
products and services can be
promoted in context; ad exposure
to players can be very long and
reiterated many times; and players
are focused and engaged because
multitask when playing.