Gamification in Marketing: Why your strategy needs it (and how to do it right)
- Sophie Burn
- Oct 20
- 4 min read
I have never won a customer competition. Not once. Over the years, I’ve entered draws for holidays, homes, wardrobes full of clothes, cold hard cash, you name it and I’ve probably surrendered my email address and agreed to terms and conditions that may or may not have bartered away my national security number, to win it. And yet, here I am: holiday-less, cash-less… and writing a blog encouraging you to use this very same competition-based marketing method on your customers. Wild, right?
You might expect me to feel duped by the brands that dangled 5 nights in Barbados in front of me, only to hand me a “better luck next time” and a 20% off code. But strangely, I don’t. Because that flicker of disappointment was just one tiny moment in an experience that, more often than not, left me feeling positive about the brand overall.
That’s the magic of gamification marketing. In this article, we’ll dive into how prize mechanics and playful campaigns can bring you closer to your customers, while adding a dose of strategic fun (the very best kind of fun) to your marketing plan.
What is gamification?
Gamification marketing isn’t as shiny and new as you might believe, it’s a strategy with roots stretching right back to the late 19th century, when businesses used newspapers to promote lotteries and prize draws, turning simple purchases into games of chance. It only grew from there…
By the 50s and 60s, the TV contest craze swept through living rooms, and the humble loyalty punch card was born as a way to reward repeat customers. The gamification buzz was getting louder! Fast forward a few decades, and brands were teaming up with the booming arcade and video game industries, transforming gameplay into a powerful driver of brand loyalty.
(The history bit is almost over, I promise - I’m just making a point.)
The digital era of the 2000s and beyond supercharged gamification. You might recognise campaigns like Nike+ challenges or Starbucks Rewards, or have come across AR treasure hunts and social media competitions – gamified experiences became central to how we interact with brands. Today, the gamification toolkit includes everything from augmented reality brand experiences to mobile-based challenges and games, personalised rewards, and pop-up digital campaigns.
So why dazzle you with the whirlwind history of gamification marketing? To highlight one simple truth: gamification is not just about throwing prizes at your customers or dangling quick wins. It’s a really versatile strategy that can drive real long-term engagement, inspire loyalty, drive footfall, even help shape behaviour. The brands that succeed are the ones that look beyond the gimmicks, and design experiences that connect to real customers.
How to run a successful gamification campaign
We get it, gamification can be intimidating for teams that have never dipped their toe in it before. But before you panic and find yourself in Waterstones scouring the shelves for Game Coding for Dummies… take a breath. Behold - Our 7 commandments of gamification (because 10 felt excessive) to guide you on your first steps towards an impactful and play-worthy campaign:
Start with purpose, not prizes
Yes, the shiny stuff is tempting - the prizes, the visuals, the funky animations. But before you let your imagination run too wild, ground yourself in strategy. Who’s your audience? What do they care about? And most importantly, what do you want them to do? Without a clear purpose, even the flashiest campaign will fall flat.
Know your audience
No one knows your customers better than you. Step into their shoes: what excites them, what bores them, what motivates them to play along? Gamification only works when the experience feels designed for them and not at them.
Choose the right mechanics
The gamification toolbox is huge… points, badges, leaderboards, instant wins, streaks, levels, challenges (feel dizzy yet?). The trick is to match the right mechanic to your audience and goal. Don’t add a leaderboard just because it sounds cool, add it because your audience loves a little healthy competition.
Balance challenge and reward
Too hard? They’ll quit. Too easy? They’ll get bored. Too long? They won’t finish. Finding the sweet spot between engaging, achievable, and rewarding is a juggling act - but one worth mastering.
Keep it fair and transparent
Nobody likes being swindled. Don’t be the fun fair trader with the ‘can knockdown’ game where the cans are glued to the table. Spell out the rules, keep the odds realistic, and make sure the experience feels fair. Trust is worth more than any prize.
Test, measure and track
Your data is your guiding light. Track engagement, participation, conversions - whatever metric matters most to you. If it’s working, fantastic. If it’s not, don’t panic. Use the numbers to tweak and refine. Gamification is rarely perfect straight out of the box!
Align it with your brand experience
Just make it make sense. Gamification should feel like a natural extension of your brand, not a random bolt-on. A fitness brand running step challenges? Perfect. A law firm launching a spin-the-wheel discount game? Maybe not. When the mechanics complement your brand personality, they elevate the whole experience.
Plenty to chew on - but don’t chew alone. Add some spark to your brand strategy with something playful, bold, and uniquely yours, and know that we’ll be right beside you. Whether it’s strategy and scoping, design and build, reporting and evaluation, or simply a steady hand when launching something new feels a bit daunting, we’ve all been there - we’ve got you covered!
Give us a call to discuss today.
Comments