Gamification is a highly effective tool that every marketer should be using as part of their marketing mix, especially when targeting Gen Z and millennials. But what is gamification? And why should we be using it at live events?
The desire for face-to-face interactions has grown tenfold following the 2020 global pandemic. With the need for more engaging and exciting brand experiences higher than ever before. In order to build trust and loyalty, brands and businesses must adopt new techniques to connect with their consumers.
We wanted to break down some of the benefits of gamification, and how it can improve your next live event.
What is gamification?
Firstly, it's important that we define what gamification means for marketers. We believe it is the inclusion of fun, interactive games using game theory to enhance the customer experience and motivate individual participation with a brand.
The true goal of gamification is to generate engagement and guide the user experience. Creating a sense of achievement for participants and motivating them to get involved with a brand.
As of December 2021, the gamification industry is valued at $11.94bn (£8.9bn) with an expected annual growth rate of 12.9% until 2025. These statistics can’t be ignored and combined with the renewed growth of the experiential industry, now is the time to make the most out of branded gaming.
its highly effective at building engagement
The boom in gamification has proven to increase engagement by 48%, which explains why more and more brands are investing in this format of marketing. Gamification adds real value to customer interactions and creates a powerful experience that leaves customers satisfied.
The fundamental human instinct to play is perfectly harnessed by new gamification techniques. With rewards and competition-based gameplay adding major value and enjoyment to the customer experience. Brands can create stronger connections through more memorable activations, resulting in higher ROI’s and longer lasting customer loyalty.
Gamified customers are motivated to engage when in control of their experience, becoming active participants in a brand story. With a platform to interact face-to-face, in an informal environment, brands can convey their messages and values easier. With recent reports showing that 60% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand if they enjoyed playing a game with it.
Combined with the physical aspect of in-person events, gamification is offering a genuine interaction between consumer and brand.
engaging successfully with gen z
A new phenomenon that we are all beginning to battle is the inclusion of Generation-Z consumers. An entire demographic who has never known life without the internet and have grown up immersed in game theory applied to learning, making gamification the obvious tool to use.
Gen Z are influenced strongly by how much a brand’s values relate to their own. And if they form a connection with a business, they are exponentially more likely to support them in the long-term. We believe that the best way to start forming these meaningful connections, while increasing engagement, is through gamification.
Recently, Pavegen harnessed the power of gamification at the Copenhagen Business School Graduate Recruitment Fair. Our partners, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), wanted to create an experience that would allow them to stand out and engage effectively with the best talent in Denmark. Our solution generated more than 120 valuable engagements that resulted in direct interaction with CIP, their brand, and values.
By merging the physical and digital, we were able to provide CIP with meaningful engagement opportunities. Allowing them to form a connection with recruits that shared their values on sustainability as well as engaging them in a more personal way.
brand awareness
Brands are constantly looking for ways to communicate and connect with their new and current customers. Creating and maintaining brand loyalty goes hand in hand with increased brand awareness. Gamified experiences offer a unique opportunity for brands to build a fun platform for customers to engage with.
Positive interactions with the gamified experience results in a more recognisable relationship with the brand. Rewards-based and competitive platforms can further strengthen that relationship to foster long-term customers for businesses.
Gamification offers the unique ability to build memorable activations for multiple participants. Alongside the fact that gamified experiences enhance retention tenfold, they can engage with non-direct participants. Particularly at experiential events, people watching another person play can become engaged with the brand, extending the reach of the desired messaging.
Furthermore, engagement can even continue after the event. Through discussions with friends, sharing on social media, and even simply remembering the event. Customers now have a tangible and real connection point with a brand
One key metric we think is understated from game theory is the ability to generate real-time feedback from customers. There is less concern over GDPR when participants can at the point of connection relay their immediate thoughts on a brand and their activation. This can boost your ROI for new activations and allow decision-makers to tailor their next event towards the best performing games, as well as developing customer-centric experiences.
Conclusion
There are vast amounts of marketing tools available to boost engagement and brand awareness but there are few that offer an all-in-one solution. Gamification at experiential events is one of the best ways to engage, excite, retain and build trust with modern-day consumers.
The battle of marketing to Gen Z can be challenging with their adoption of short-form content and the demand for digital experiences. Gamification solves this nicely with an innovative solution to Gen Z engagement and brand connection.
Pavegen's award-winning technology creates highly engaging experiences, by using the renewable energy of a footstep, to educate and engage customers and stakeholders alike.
We are using game theory and gamification in the interactive experiences we build for brands. To deepen the connection our experiences make with stakeholders, we offer Pavegen GO ENGAGE. A digital app that delivers meaningful and measurable social engagement and impact. Bringing together the power of a footstep and the reach of mobile technology, gamification, game theory, and behavioural economics to create a more sustainable world.
To discuss what Pavegen can do for you contact us today at www.pavegen.com