Gamification

Here we give a simple introduction into concept of gamification.

What is gamification?
What does gamification actually do?
How are businesses applying gamification?
How Pomegranate bring gamification into business
Measuring and monitoring
What organisation types is gamification relevant for?
 

What is gamification?

Gamification is a term that is storming the internet and marketing departments alike. Put simply Gamification is the use of game play mechanics for non-game applications (also known as "funware").

Currently the buzz coming out of Silicon valley is all about gamification being used to entice users into websites and software, however even more exciting than this is the use of gaming mechanics for FMCG's, training & education and even social design projects.

Gamification is not a fad, it's the terming of methodology that has actually been part of human nature forever. What the term has done is encapsulate a range of game play techniques into a process and formula that can be used to drive sophisticated marketing approaches.

This video clip from the archives of TED gives a fascinating insight into just how prolific the use of gamifying is.

What does gamification actually do?

Wikipedia will tell you, ‘Gamification works by making technology more engaging, and by encouraging desired behaviours by taking advantage of humans' psychological predisposition to engage in gaming. The technique can encourage people to perform chores that they ordinarily consider boring, such as completing surveys, shopping, or reading web sites.

Successful application of game mechanics relies on a clear understanding of the audience. Richard Bartle - a highly respected individual in this field - has developed a classification system for the human characteristics that are evoked through gameplay.

Bartle has defined that people typically fall into one or more of four categories; Achiever, Killer, Collector and Socialiser. These classifications have provided clarity on which game mechanics are required to engage each profile. For example if you are developing a training system for males, aged between 25 – 35, then you need to focus on Achiever and Collector as the main characteristics.

How are businesses applying gamification?

The use of incentive devices in marketing has been used for eons, one of the most renown and earliest examples being Greenshield stamps. This concept introduced the consumer to the idea of collecting points to get rewards, a primary element of gamification. Since then, loyalty and reward schemes have become common place, from credit card air miles to nectar points, with these options are getting more creative by the day. The mobile market has lead the way, with Vodafone and O2 getting customers to make more calls to gain access to festival, event and VIP tickets.

Now retail is capitalising on the Facebook age, bringing the social online community together. If a consumer ‘likes’ a brands page they now get access to a host of ‘exclusive’ vouchers, and promotions.
These concepts are not far removed from traditional gaming, where the more you play and the better you get, the more points you gain to enhance your play or status.

Businesses are starting to recognise the potential and are tapping into consumer psychology, and the emotions that sit inside everyone’s heads, emotions like, achievement, competitiveness, accumulation and status.

How Pomegranate bring gamification into business 

The desire to play and achieve is inherent in all of us, the key is in unlocking it.

At Pomegranate we are bridging the chasm, between business marketing and gamification. We have been developing a deep learning of how these psychological profiles can be targeted and engaged to better effect using a wider range of marketing and educational techniques.

Our approach works by taking a marketing strategy, establishing the target audience and then applying the gamification layer. We identify the most applicable characteristics that surround the defined audience, then mould the marketing approach or campaign to integrate game mechanics.

Marketing approaches in B2C and B2B have been moving closer together for some time, now gamification creates an even closer alignment. This isn’t simply about giving someone points or rewards, but using game devices to enthuse an individual to follow a campaign, or complete a training task. 

Measuring and monitoring  

One of the most useful elements of gamifying a process is derived from the unique set of metrics that can be monitored. For example Demand generation looks at areas such as the channels of engagement, lead scores and conversion funnels. Gamification looks more acutely at the things that stimulate a user to progress, re-engage and virally promote.

The analysis of the data points, allows the marketers to really see what’s working and what’s not within a campaign or engagement process. By being able to monitor the paths a user follows, the levels of success they have achieved or the volume of items, points and rewards they have collected, this starts to enhance the profile around user profiles and audience groups.

If the marketer then applies these results alongside the demand generation and sales data – it is possible to generate a very detailed picture of which marketing approaches are attracting which target profile, what the engagement format is and what form of re-engagement stimulated the most effect.   

What organisation types is gamification relevant for?   

To gamify a process, is to increase stimulation and interaction by a viewer or user, this means that essentially wherever you have tasks, activities or requirements for a person to do something, you have a relevant opportunity to consider gamification.

Organisations from many sectors are beginning to view gamification’s advantages in an array of areas from marketing to human resources. IBM for example introduced a 3D interface for their consultant training system, providing a visual difference from the standard training tools, they then applied a time and points concept to enhance the challenge effect.
Game play in its purest sense has been used in such diverse ways from scientific brain research, through to HR departments complementing psychometric tests with ‘game play’ to assess a persons character traits.

The application depends on what a business wants to achieve, for example we have listed some of the common uses currently:

For B2B

• Increased attraction and user engagement (process, product or marketing approach)
• Better retention of information (Training, team building)
• Increased brand awareness (Dept exposure, internal systems)
• Usability testing
• Capture insight on ‘user’ types (more achievers followed this route to our product)
• Develop a level of anticipation and competitiveness from the marketing

For B2C

• Generate consumer hype
• Viral
• Increase brand loyalty and reduce churn
• Usability testing
• Monitor and react to consumer trends)
• Re-engage consumers

Want to know more about gamification and how to really apply it? Contact us for more information, or if you have any questions about how gamification could benefit your business.