By Carl Nielson, Director, Mobile Research Solutions
Can market research be fun? The working theory behind the gamification of survey initiatives is that more engaging and entertaining mobile marketing campaigns increases participation and enhances consumer engagement. Younger consumers especially spend a significant amount of time playing games and looking for diversions on their mobile devices. Innovative marketers have found a way to capitalize on that connection by finding ways to gamify their research initiatives. Examples range from the simple use of game-like badges to full-fledged research games. Let’s take a closer look at three examples of how companies are gamifying their mobile market campaigns.
The Barriers to Gamification
Gamification refers to the application of game-based mechanics to non-game processes and functions. These include game mechanics like gifts, leaderboards, levels, challenges and points; it also taps into game dynamics including levels, self-expression, rewards, achievement and competition. Brands are interested in using gamification in their research. According to the Q1/Q2 2015 GRIT report, 21 percent of brands are using research gamification and 35 percent are thinking about implementing it in the near future. Yet some reservations persist. The biggest challenges are a lack of understanding of what gamification means, the best way to implement it and strong proof that it’s really effective. However, certain brands are experimenting and paving the way for mainstream brand gamification research.
Gamifying Research Communities
Gamification impacts market research through brand and research communities. Research communities vary, from in-house customer groups managed by brands to specific panel-based communities. In many cases, research communities are anchored around a shared love of a brand and may have a strong loyalty component. Communities are accessible from computers or mobile devices. Gamification plays an increasing role in how community managers interact with members. Members who complete surveys or participate in polls often receive badges, increased status, or points redeemable for gifts.
For example, Tripadvisor has an app that relies on consumer-generated reviews for content and feedback. Reviewers receive different badges for leaving reviews. Each badge denotes specific specialties, such as a “hotel specialist,” after a certain number of reviews are left. Users also accumulate points they redeem through a specialized program. Gamification, when employed this way, plays on the psychological desire consumers have to connect with brands they enjoy. Status and incentives also play a helpful role in motivating participation.
PayPal’s Innovation Games
PayPal is one of the largest brands in personal and business finance. The company was the pioneer in the online payments processing. Today, their business has swelled to $7.9 billion in revenue in 2014. The company’s research team has used a series of “innovation games” to better understand the user experience, in order to optimize their products and services for both business and personal users.
A major focus of the research was helping PayPal’s mobile team optimize the user’s mobile experience. The mobile team understood that users expect to have the same functionality via mobile that they do in-store or on their computers. The company created a series of innovative games—and recruited participants—that allowed for deeper exploration of consumer behavior. For example, one game tested an in-store mobile payment feature. An unexpected insight emerged when users refused to jump ahead if they’d already paid, for fear of upsetting other patrons; as a result, the researchers realized the importance of a separate payment line. A full study of PayPal’s mobile innovation games is available via Quirks for further reading.
Dunkin Donuts “On Your Mark” Campaign
Dunkin Donuts sponsored a mobile game campaign called On Your Mark. The On Your Mark Campaign embedded data collection within the gaming process. Users could access the game through the Dunkin’ Donuts Facebook fan page. Upon opening the game, fans shared their favorite beverage. From there, a game environment emerged featuring a coffee cup and different stations for milk, sugar and more. Fans needed to complete the correct order in a minute or less. Winners were entered into a drawing for gift cards each day. “We are looking to figure out what people’s preferences are in terms of beverages—that’s sort of the starting point of being able to understand what we can do with those preferences,” said one of the researchers in an interview with Xconomy.
Gamification and mobile market research are a natural fit. Many brands are exploring the applications. In certain cases, brands are using games to allow them to ask questions in a non-intrusive way. In others, mobile marketing campaigns with gamification is allowing brands to better understand what drives consumer behaviors and increase participation. While many initiatives are still experimental, gamification will likely play a more important role in the research mix as practical examples and proof of effectiveness emerge.
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