In an age where every screen, app, and advertisement is fighting for our limited attention, companies and agencies seek clever ways to keep their audiences engaged. They have often discovered that people claim to be too busy to research and purchase their products, yet seem to find abundant time to play video games. Enter gamification, a snazzy buzzword that basically means finding ways to introduce game-like elements to non-game environments. Here’s how some are utilizing it:
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Pokémon has been in the gaming space since the beginning of time, but last week we learned that they’ve entered some interesting new territory — your bedroom. Pokémon Sleep was originally announced back in 2019 and is essentially a sleep tracker. Based on the quality and duration of the users’ slumber, they attract different creatures; but, we’re still not so sure it’s a good idea to entice monsters into our snooze zone.
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Supercar makers like Lamborghini are also getting heavy into the game-o-sphere. For example, they have launched an annual esports driving competition and created a virtual team. Even more recently, they shared a preview of their new car in the form of an unlockable vehicle in Fortnite.
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San Antonio's municipally owned utilities have implemented gamification to encourage conservation. Customers receive summaries comparing their energy and water usage to that of their neighbors. Reports have seen customers decrease usage by up to 5% per month compared to those not receiving such information.