Gamification in your marketing strategy
Gamification in your marketing strategy
The term ‘gamification’ is is widely used these days It’s also something that we’ve noticed is cropping up in conversation with our clients on a regular basis as they consider creating their own gamification marketing strategy. So, what exactly is gamification and how does gamification fit in to your marketing strategy?
The answer to the first question is fairly straightforward and has been covered extensively on sites such as Wikipedia:
"Gamification is the application of game-design elements and game principles in non-game contexts. It can also be defined as a set of activities and processes to solve problems by using or applying the characteristics of game elements. Gamification commonly employs game design elements to improve user engagement, organisational productivity, flow, learning, crowdsourcing, knowledge retention, employee recruitment and evaluation, ease of use, usefulness of systems, physical exercise, traffic violations, voter apathy, and more."
The answer to the second question has been surprisingly established for some years. Gamification has been embedded into marketing strategies since day 1. Incentives have been central to both marketing and gaming strategies; encouraging us all to better ourselves with the latest products, improve our skills with the most difficult challenge or by simply offering us an escape from reality.
Gamification takes the essence of what makes games so “fascinating and irresistible” and integrate them into non-game experiences, i.e. marketing strategies and campaigns. Adding elements to your site or app like: rewards, challenges and incentives triggers a sense of achievement and makes use of the competitive nature in people, encouraging them to use your app or website even more, because they’ll enjoy it.
Why does gamification work?
- You create a fun experience for your audience, which will lead to a longer and more engaging relationship.
- It motivates your customers to participate: there are chances to be rewarded, to win something or to gain recognition.
- It gives you an emotional connection with your customers, increasing the possibility that they’ll also become more loyal to your business.
- It’s for “all-around” uses since you can add game elements to different areas. Think project management, recruitment, marketing and more.
Gamification can increase the engagement of customers, prospects and partners. Rewarding them (it doesn’t’ have to be something materialistic, it can also be recognition or even valuable content) can increase their loyalty and positive feeling towards your business. It speaks to the sense of achievement & competition of the people. People want to be noticed and get rewarded. Performing better than their peers will leave them with a sense of achievement. It will help your prospects identify each other. Having gamification tools, can help you segment your prospects, so you can make them a more personalised offer.
Gamification in your marketing strategy
- Incentive - Is there a valid reason for introducing gamification and, if so, a strong incentive to ensure it is a success? From rewarding users with improved status, access to new content or just free stuff, being clear about how you intend to motivate your audience is a vital gamification technique.
- Process - Are there existing processes in place that can be adapted and, if not, how will the gamification of your products, services or content be managed? If you can identify activity that your users are already performing and ‘gamify it’ then you can instantly add value. Alternatively, if you’re trying to convert your users to new behaviour then make sure the gamification process is easy for them to buy into.
- Context - Is it the right audience on the right platform? In simple terms, if you want to use gamification as an HR tool, make sure that the technology is accessible to all as a web service and not just as an app. If your target audience are already using a particular device then go with the flow and develop a solution around their technology choices.
- Objective - What do you hope to achieve from the gamification process and is it a short or long term objective? Using freebies as an incentive is a quick win but being able to give your users improved status amongst their peers or giving them ongoing access to exclusive content has the potential to create brand loyalty in the long term.
- Scope - How long will this take and how much will this cost? An obvious question when undertaking any marketing or communications activity. However, if this is something new to your brand or business then scoping out the project properly in the first place will provide your creative and technical partners with a much clearer understanding of your expectations.
Entertainment, education and engagement through gamification can help you to engage with different target audiences and build long term brand loyalty. There are many stablished webinars and conferences that specialise in gamification, such as Gamification Europe and Gamification+.
What ever you decide to do, make it fun!
Shine on you crazy ruby
Shine on you Crazy Ruby
Lockdown brewing and the birth of a beer label design
It was the end of week 1 of the Coronavirus lockdown and the initial fears and anxieties of these extraordinary and testing times were beginning to settle. Social distancing was taking effect and everyone was stocking up on groceries, though Boris Johnson had ended up in ICU. I now found myself with more time on my hands than I have had for a while, what to do? Brew some beer? Design a beer label perhaps?
With supermarket stocks of toilet paper rapidly draining away and alcohol evaporating into thin air from the shelves, it was time to start brewing. (Not sure what the connection between toilet paper and alcohol is?!) This was something I could do to fill the time and take my mind off of the current situation. Oh, and it went some way to alleviating my fears of running out of my favourite drink. Beer.
What better thing to do on a Sunday morning than start the brewing process for a batch of Ruby Ale.
Still in PJs listening to Dave Gilmour on the stereo along with a bit of air guitar, the end of week 2 had arrived and the initial fermentation was over, it was time to bottle my prized ale. 65 bottles later, all filled, capped and stored, the wait to sample the brew began.
What name for the beer label design?
While waiting I posted a few photos on Facebook and invited people to suggest a name for the brew. The suggestions came in: Whole Lotta Ruby, Comfortably Ruby, Zoom Beer, Careful With That Bottle Eugene, Ruby Sunday, Red Covid!, Is There Any Ruby Out There, #isolation, Rich Red, Wish You Were Ruby...
Well the ruby ale has turned out nice, very nice in fact. It's disappearing at a rate of knots, especially when it's chilled in the hot weather we've been enjoying recently. The longer it's been in the bottle the better it gets, subtle malt undertones and a slightly spiced and peppery aroma have made this pure joy!
So the Pink Floyd theme prevailed and Shine On You Crazy Ruby suggested by Pete Jenkins from Gamification+ won through, encapsulating the feeling of the light at the end of the tunnel in these crazy times.
Naturally it was only right to design a label for this special occasion, which you can see in the main image. There is a limited edition with labels, so Pete Jenkins watch out for the post...
If you’d like some help with designing a beer label, or you'd just like to talk all things beer, then we'd love to hear from you.
Cheers!
Branded virtual background in Zoom
A little Zoom goes a long way
Create a branded virtual background in Zoom
Why create a branded virtual background in Zoom?
The huge uptake of Zoom meetings for networking has soared in ways we could never have foreseen prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Of course many people have been having video meetings for sometime with Microsoft Teams, but why is Zoom proving to be the most popular choice?
The user interface and experience are truly where Zoom excels in the Microsoft Teams vs Zoom debate. Zoom users all rave over its simple interface and the ability to get end-users up and running with little to no training or IT support.
It also has the ability to change the background to your Zoom view. (See below for guidance on creating a customised branded virtual background image).
So, in a time when marketing has become both difficult and vital, are you missing a marketing opportunity to keep your branding in sight and in mind?
Of course everyone likes to see where you are working, how you decorate your home etc. However, using the Zoom Web Portal, you can change the default background image or customise it for a room, floor, or location. They provide a few default images to play with, such as the classic palm trees and beach, the Northern Lights, some random grass etc. but you can create your own.
If you are attending an online networking meeting you might want to brand your background to help promote your company name, and why not, it’s kinda like having an online business card when you have a meeting. It keeps your company name, logo, colours etc in people’s minds and that’s not a bad thing for marketing.
When you use a branded virtual background there is some blur and seepage of your actual room background that can come through when you move, try it and you’ll see, so perhaps it’s not for you. However, it’s a reasonably minor effect particularly when the Zoom attendees windows are small and many on a computer or tablet screen.
Why not have a go at creating a branded virtual background image (JPG or PNG works fine) with your business or organisation’s logo and/or some branded imagery in the background and promote yourself at your online meetings.
Personally I miss going down the pub and using a photo of one of my (many) favourite pubs just takes me straight back there (not literally of course) and gives a lift of mood and high spirits, er, no pun intended!
If you’d like some help with creating a branded virtual background for your business or organisation, get in contact, we’ll do it for you for free while we are still in lockdown!
Happy Zooming!
Sign up for Zoom, it’s free.
Guidance on Zoom Rooms customised backgrounds
Using the Zoom Web Portal, you can change default background image or customize the background image for a room, floor, or location.
You can also customize Zoom Rooms digital signage content to share important messages when the room is not in use or the scheduling display background to use a custom image on your scheduling display device.
Background Image Guidelines
Before uploading a custom background image, follow these guidelines:
Format: GIF, JPG/JPEG or 24-bit PNG (no alpha). Any transparent areas of PNGs will be shown on a white background.
Minimum dimension: 960px
Maximum dimension: 1920px
Recommended dimensions: 1920px by 1080px (16:9 aspect ratio). If you don’t use an image with an aspect ratio of 16:9, you may see black bars beside the background image.
Maximum file size: 5 MB
Change the default background image
Follow these steps if you want to change the default background image for all Zoom Rooms in your account.
- Log in to the Zoom web portal.
- Click Room Management > Zoom Rooms.
- Click Account Settings at the top of the page.
- In the Account Profile tab, under Background image for Zoom Rooms, click Upload New Image. Note: Verify your image follows their guidelines.
- Select your image and click Open.
Change the background image for a room, floor, or location
When you upload a customized background image for a specific room, floor, or location, it will replace the default image.
- Log in to the Zoom web portal.
- Click Room Management > Zoom Rooms.
- Click Edit next to the room, floor, or location, depending on where you want the background to be applied.
- In the Room Settings tab, navigate to the Room Setup section.
- Next to Background image for Zoom Rooms, click Upload New Image. If you added your own default background image, you’ll see a preview of it along with the “Using account setting” notification.
Note: Verify your image follows their guidelines.
Select your image, and click Open.
Logo design – is this plagiarism at its most blatant?
Serious questions have been raised about plagiarism in logo design with the unveiling of the newest branch of the United States military services logo.
On the one hand, Donald Trump's Space Force logo gives an open nod to Star Trek's badge, perhaps reflecting Trump's refusal to grow up. It has also fulfilled very marketers quest to gain attention to the launch of not just the logo, but the introduction of a Space Force. Job done.
On the other hand the Space Force logo design closely resembles the Star Trek badge, (seen on the right in the image), raising the question was this just openly copied. The Space Force logo design takes many common elements relating to, well, er, 'space'. The pointed, arrow-like craft shape, a planet, orbiting satellite and of course a sprinkling of stars. Elements that you can argue are necessary in the design of any space-related logo. But surely a good creative designer will push the boundaries to try and use more clever, inventive imagery helping to create a more distinctive and memorable logo design?
I struggle with the design of this logo, both with it's slightly dated feel in the design elements and what to me looks like blatant plagiarism. The planet looks like a hark back to the old Pan Am logo, the sprinkling of stars a little child-like and the serif typography around the logo simply dated and weak.
To be honest I wish they had boldly gone and just asked the owners of the Star Trek legacy if they could just use their logo. It's much clearer, distinctive and even futuristic.
Beam me up Scotty!
Check out Design Week's article 'The United States Space Force logo deconstructed' https://buff.ly/2O30oNW
If you would like some help on creating a distinctive and original logo for your business or organisation, then get in contact for a chat about how we can help you.
Proud sponsors of Business of the Year, Seahaven Business Awards 2020
Proud Sponsors of the Business of the Year trophy, Seahaven Business Awards 2020!
We’re delighted to announce that we are proud sponsors of the Business of the Year trophy, in the Seahaven Business Awards 2020 which will take place on the 15th May at the Awards Ceremony & Dinner.
The Seahaven Business Awards are a unique event created to celebrate professionalism, creativity, innovation and business excellence across Newhaven, Seaford and Peacehaven.
Now in its 17th year the awards have grown to become one of most anticipated south coast business events of the year.
The awards recognise businesses of all sizes that have achieved success and that are setting standards in any of the judged categories. We are particularly excited to see a number of our customers have been nominated across multiple categories.
We are also proud to have created the branding for this year's awards campaign across digital and printed media.
Over 100 business people will be in attendance on the night and we will be heading along too to celebrate their successes. We have been supporters of the awards over several years and look forward to the Awards ceremony, it will be a great opportunity for us to meet new faces within the Seahaven area.
We can’t wait to see what the evening holds.
Good luck to all the finalists!