This blog is about gamification and how to market a new game with six helpful tips from Padia (2015) .“Gamification is all around us” according to Danny Maco, former general manager of University Games (Silva, 2017). The utilisation of games can assist retailers boost sales by using this initiative to engage customers. “The role of gamification in retail can be understood through applying game mechanics to everyday processes, rather than attempting to simulate everyday life.” (Insley and Nunan, 2013, p.342).By engaging customers this way, the shopping experience will be seen as an activity not as a chore. More and more retailers are starting to use games to engage customers as it is keeping up with current trends. “It has been recognised that retail success in a multi-channel market depends on delivering an effective customer experience, not simply focusing on price and product innovation” (Grewal et al., 2009 as supported by Insley and Nunan, 2013, p.343).Taking the focus away from the financial side of the organisation and focusing more on the customer experience will boost sales as well as gain loyalty from customers.In order to create a game that will be successful, it’s important to find out what works well and adapt to the target market. According to Yeeply (2016) there are four steps that the game has to follow:

1. The Idea: It’s important to understand what your audience enjoys. As the app revolves around retail, feedback can be taken from current customers. This gets them involved in the process which will lead to more customers purchasing the game when it launches. Also, the game dynamics are important, the easier the game is, the more successful it will be.
2. Monetisation of the game: Knowing how to market the game is extremely important. The game will be aimed at loyalty card users, they will be offered the premium version as they are already loyal customers.
3. Technology to use: Getting the technology right is crucial for the games success. For this game, Unity 3D will be used as it works on both iPhone and Android, an important aspect to keep in mind.
4. Developers: Yeeply have helped create many games and they focus on the organisations overall success which is a key factor. They include four platforms: The difference between creating apps vs creating games, technology, weight design and graphics and performance.

By taking these initiatives, the game will be accessible to people who do not normally game and can help the organisation be the most successful it’s been to date.It is important to acknowledge the risks of designing and bringing out a game. Security is one of the main issues, (Newgenapps, 2018) as many aspects of the game can be copied and sold under a different name. It is also important to ensure that customer information is not shared publicly. This brings up the issue of ethics as “gamification effects intentions, attitudes and behaviour” (Maltseva, Fieseler and Trittin-Ulbrich, 2018, p.46). In terms of the game, this would include aspects such as customer emails and other contact details. Ethics are crucial to think about when discussing the making of a game. They are “a set of principles to facilitate the design of solutions that, on balance, promote desirable outcomes for the users” (Marczewski, 2017, p.56). When building the app, the creator runs the risk of becoming so attached that they become blind to the potential criticism and dangers. To overcome this risk, the creators of the game need to be aware of the chosen framework and ethical guidelines.

According to Padia (2015) there are six ways to market a mobile game with guaranteed success:

1. Have a link on the organisations website. This will reach online customers who do not normally shop via an app and may encourage this. There are five key elements to advertise via the website: Gripping Headlines, Relevant key words, easy access to social media, good imagery and smartly place CTAs (call to action)
2. Ask for feedback and reviews to gain a better insight to what people enjoy
3. Create forums for customers to discuss the mobile game
4. Be social with the game- Social Media can be implemented so a broader connection with the customers can be made
5. Partner up with other global names in mobile. Before the game launches, an insight about how the app launch process works and it can also expand the network of potential customers. Big mobile companies have experience with how to advertise a game to a global audience which can help assist the organisation with marketing strategies which will lead to improved customer engagement
6. Share videos of the game. Advertising via YouTube can be one of the fastest ways to promote a new app/game. It gives potential new and existing customers a sneak peek into what to expect

“Making your first game: Launching! How to Market Your Game”

If the organisation follows these six important steps, the retail game will set out to be a success with the hope of gaining a new and more dynamic audience. Gamification is designed to make repetitive tasks more fun and enjoyable” (Flatla et al., 2011 as supported by Tang and Zhang, 2018, p.5) Thus improving the shopping experience.

Bibliography

Insley, V and Numan, D. (2014) Gamification and the online retail experience, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Volume 42: Issue 5, pp.340-351. [Online] [pdf] Available at: https://doi-org.ezproxy.brighton.ac.uk/10.1108/IJRDM-01-2013-0030 (accessed 27/03/2019)

Maltseva, K, Fieseler, C and Trittin-Ulbrich, H. (2019) The challenges of gamifying CSR communication, Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Volume 24, Issue 1, pp. 44-62. [Online] [pdf] Available at: https://doi-org.ezproxy.brighton.ac.uk/10.1108/CCIJ-09-2018-0092 (accessed 27/03/2019)

Marczewski, A. (2017) ‘The ethics of gamification’. [Online] [pdf] Available at: https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=3123756  (accessed 27/03/2019)

Padia, K. (2015) ‘6 Ways to Market your Mobile Game’, Apptentive. [Online] Available at:  https://www.apptentive.com/blog/2015/07/30/6-ways-to-market-your-mobile-game/ (acceseed 27/03/2019)

Silva, M. (2017) ‘Why Retailers Should Consider Gamification to Boost Engagement’, Shopify. [Online] Available at: https://www.shopify.co.uk/retail/why-retailers-should-consider-gamification-to-boost-engagement (accessed 27/03/2019)

Tang, J and Zhang, P. (2019) Exploring the relationships between gamification and motivational needs in technology design, International Journal of Crowd Science. [Online] [pdf] Available at: https://doi-org.ezproxy.brighton.ac.uk/10.1108/IJCS-09-2018-0025 (accessed 27/03/2019)

Yeeply (2016) ‘How to create a game: step by step guide’ [Online] Available at: https://en.yeeply.com/blog/how-to-create-a-game-guide/ (accessed 27/03/2019)

Gamification is the application of game mechanics to online shopping (Barnaart, 2017). Companies are utilising this tool to keep their audiences engaged. “Facebook, Twitter and EBay incorporate game elements to increase customer engagement “(Insley and Nunan, 2013, p.340). If customers are more engaged with the organisation, they are more likely to purchase a product. Gamification is utilised via smartphones, as 4 out of 5 smartphone owners prefer mobile shopping over in person or desktop shopping (Barnaart,2017), making use of gamification will increase audience engagement. There has already been research into this that states that the “enthusiasm over gamification amongst marketers has been driven by the observation that games engage people” (Insley and Nunan, 2013, p.341). It is a venture that organisations should be utilising. Companies that have had positive feedback from gamification include fashion retailers ASOS, Misguided and Jack Wills who use interactive games at Christmas for customers to win prizes (Insley and Nunan, 2013, p.433). Organisations are seeing a positive outcome of using games to market products as they “play a big part in promoting and selling products” (N/A, 2015, p.10).

“Gamification in Retail”

‘Asos Gamification’

To bring the game into the market, the organisation needs to look at their current target market and determine what they currently enjoy. The game will be aimed at the millennial generation as they prefer accessing apps via phones (Barnaart,2017). To understand what people already enjoy, it’s important to see what fellow competitors have already done. Games that often do well include social sharing, scoring and rewards (Daisyme, 2017). These aspects should be incorporated into the game. Speaking to top gaming operators such as GAME will give the organisation an idea of what aspects to include in the app to ensure success. It is important to establish incentives for players, as this could drive more people to play the game. To encourage this, influencers can be used as a form of advertisement. They have the ability to influence purchases due to their power, popularity, authority and position in society (Michaels, 2018). It can be tested with micro- influencers as celebrity influencers are expensive. They have less reach but more engaged audiences (6% compared to 1.6% for celebrities) (Barker,2018).

The aim of the game is to achieve excellent customer service in a department store. Each player creates an avatar and makes their way through the departments. When excellent customer service has been achieved and the final level is reached, players help celebrity Kit Harington (Game of Thrones Star) prep for the upcoming BAFTA awards.  Kit Harington is active on social media and in the 21^st century “social media influencers represent a new type of independent third party who shape audience attitudes” (Freberg, Graham, McCaughey and Freberg, 2011, p.90). It is important to keep up with trends, it encourages engagement for new and current audiences. The game is linked to the store’s loyalty card. As the game is completed, loyalty card holders will receive a personalised gift, non-members will receive a gift but it will be random. By incorporating the loyalty card incentive, it will encourage the audience to sign up and reap the rewards.

It is import to understand the risks of bringing out a game, many aspects have to be taken into consideration such as ethics. Seligner et al (2015) states that gamification is fundamentally in tension with human flourishing or good character (Kim and Werback, 2016, p.161). This aspect is important as it stresses the risk of human development due to gaming. When creating the game, the avatar needs to be taken into consideration as it promotes gender stereotypes, an issue that could influence the games success. It is priced at £1.99 for the trial month, then a fixed price of £2.99. It is always a risk putting a price on a game as it assumes consumers will buy the app. To avoid risk, the organisation should trial the game and gain feedback from staff and customers to see what price would be appropriate.

Gamification was the chosen because it boosts engagement (Insley and Nunan, 2014, p,341). Games encourage younger generations to engage with a product or service (Daisyme, 2017). Therefore, the game should influence a younger audience. It also keeps up with current trends as 25% of overall app usage is spent on retail apps (Newman, Wachter and White, 2018, p.211). Having a quarter of consumers already online will help with advertisement.

For the game to reach its full potential, changes such as incentives at each level will motivate players and justify them spending £2.99. Player should be able to pick what department they want to start off in to avoid discrimination, this ensures ethical factors are valued. Finally, to gain full attention from the audience, more celebrity involvement needs to be made apparent. This will lead to increased engagement and a boost in sales.

Bibliography

Barnaart, L. (2017) ‘Why Mobile Apps are the Next Thing for Fashion Stores’, JMango.  [Online] Available at: https://jmango360.com/blog/why-mobile-apps-are-the-next-thing-for-fashion-stores/ (accessed 19/02/2019)

Daisyme, P. (2017) ‘How to add gamification to your marketing strategy’, Forbes. [Online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2017/06/22/how-to-add-gamification-to-your-marketing-strategy/#4b3bf3845b3b (accessed 26/02/2019)

Freberg, K, Graham, K, McGaughey, K and Freberg. A.L. (2011) ‘Who are the social media influencers? A study of public perceptions of personality’, Public Relation Review, Volume 37, Issue 1, pp. 90-21. [Online] [pdf] Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2010.11.001 (accessed 26/02/2019)

Insley, V and Nunan, D. (2014) ‘Gamification and the online retail experience’, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Vol. 42, Issue 5, pp.340-351. [Online] [pdf] Available at: https://doi-org.ezproxy.brighton.ac.uk/10.1108/IJRDM-01-2013-0030 (accessed 18/02/2019)

N/A. (2015)’Dedicated followers of m-branding fashion: Retail apps are playing a big part in promoting and selling products’, Strategic Direction, Vol.31, Issue 4, pp. 10-12. [Online] [pdf] Available at:  https://doi-org.ezproxy.brighton.ac.uk/10.1108/SD-02-2015-0021 (accessed 19/02/2019)

Newman, L.C, Wachter, K and White, A. (2018) ‘Bricks or clicks? Understanding consumer usage of retail mobile apps’, Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 32, Issue 2, pp. 211-222. [Online] [pdf[ Available at: https://doi-org.ezproxy.brighton.ac.uk/10.1108/JSM-08-2016-0289 (accessed 19/02/2019)

Parker.J.C and Wang, H. (2016) ‘Examining hedonic and ultiratian motivations for m-commerce fashion retail app engagement’, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, Vol. 20, Issue 4, pp.487-506. [Online] [pdf] Available at: https://doi-org.ezproxy.brighton.ac.uk/10.1108/JFMM-02-2016-0015 (accessed 19/02/2019)

Wells, N. (2015) ‘The shocking truth about mobile gaming’, CNBC. [Online] Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2015/08/03/the-shocking-truth-about-mobile-gaming.html (accessed 19/02/2019)

Williams, A. (2016) ‘10 brands using digital to create great in-store experiences’, CMO. [Online] Available at: https://www.cmo.com.au/article/600758/10-brands-using-tech-create-great-in-store-experiences/ (accessed 19/02/2019)

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