2. Social Media Club Melbourne:
Notes for panel discussion on Social Games and
Gamification for Brands
+ Media opportunities in social gaming on Zynga & Pop Cap
+ The process & thinking around game creation & gamification
+ How to integrate gaming into marketing strategies
3. Why use social games
and gamification for
your brand?
* Engage with your target audience
* Build brand awareness & positioning
* Stimulate interaction & community
* Encourage action (sales)
* Build brand loyalty
* Change behaviours
* Innovate
4. Three key game strategies to consider
Game development: Game mechanics: Game dynamics:
Build a game as an imbed Add extrinsic Build integrated and
on your website or as a gamification motivators immersive experiences
mobile app. Entertainment, engage your customers. for your customers.
information, awareness Reward & recogition Creating pervasive
5. Example 1: Branded gaming as a marketing strategy
Objective: Raise awareness of insurance issues as a prompt to increase sales
6. Example 2: Gamification (extrinsic + intrinsic strategies)
Objective: Strengthen brand loyalty by creating connection, community, reward & recognition between runners
7. Example 3: Pervasive game design + gamification
Objective: Thrill and reward loyal fans through a collaborative, pervasive scavenger hunt across NY
8. Key inputs that shape
your game strategy
* Clear business objectives
* How your customers behave
* What motivates them
* How do they like to be engaged
* Your budget
9. But a game strategy
can’t fix this legacy
Games and gamification are
offering a fresh solution to brands
82% consumers distrust brands
95% consumers distrust marketing
Your game and gamification
strategy will be viewed with
suspicion unless it’s done properly
- be authentic
10. How to integrate a game strategy
Select the right medium Be genuine Be social
Where and how do your Your customer relationship Your customers trust their
customer like to play? with your brand is a form of friends and family over your
Desktop, Social Networks, self expression. Therefore you marketing. Your game strategy
Mobile, Web? need to create a meaningful needs to create conversations
story as a backbone to your and make sharing easy.
11. How to integrate a game strategy
Create experiences Know your customers Be playful yourself!
Balance extrinsic (rewards, Profile your customers to It’s essential that your
achievements, recognition) design gameful experiences organisation is playful. Happy,
with intrinsic (meaningful & that are meaningful and engaged and connected staff
engaging interactions). Ensure relevant to them. Ensure your will facilitate the same for your
customers control their brand message is consistent. customers.
12. Considerations
• 10% design, 90% iteration
• Continuous development &
community management (this
isn’t a one-off strategy)
• Your business isn’t a ‘social
game’ it is a ‘massive multiplayer
game’ - design accordingly
• Connect to meaning by inviting
the customer to bring their goals
to your platform (or game)
• A game strategy may not be right
for your customers or your
business