Let's Play
Another trending topic at South by Southwest this year was the incorporation of game dynamics into social media, communications and generally any type of task where people need to be motivated to participate. The big question, however, was how are marketers going to leverage this idea and trend in their communications. We are now starting to see some experiment with game incorporation. Here is a round-up of examples:SubwaySubway has partnered with Scvngr to promote adding avocado to its menu. Twenty-five Scvngr players can win two free tickets to the premiere of "The Green Lantern." Other players can receive free tickets to see the movie in their local theater. "Scvngr players can win the tickets by earning points with the following game-like activities: 'Superhero Fuel' points will be rewarded to players who create their own sandwich with avocado as a central ingredient. 'Quote It' points can be accrued by users expressing their favorite Green Lantern quote. 'Flex for the Camera' points will be rewarded to those who take a photo of themselves next to a Subway logo, while flexing their muscles."Sears"The retailer is offering shoe discounts to Scvngr players who check in at stores, complete challenges, and upload content to the app. The challenges include: snapping a photo of sneakers/shoes; picking three sets of colorful footwear and taking a picture; and telling a brief story about where the player would like to walk to if she could go anywhere in the world."New York Public LibraryI love this one! Not only does the New York Public Library have its own Foursquare badge, but in May they launched a promotion that allowed a limited number of participants to sign up and spend the night in the library to go on a scavenger hunt. The promotion appeals to the younger, tech-savvy target and gets them into a place that rarely need to visit anymore: the library. Smart.
“'Find the Future: The Game,' devised by renowned game designer Jane McGonigal, is a series of 'quests' delivered via an app on players’ mobile devices that can be completed at the Library’s 42nd Street location. ... The challenges are designed to encourage players to explore and reflect upon the objects from the library’s collections. A player might be tasked, for instance, to scan a QR code located at the Declaration of Independence, and then respond to a creative essay prompt. Once enough quests have been completed, they will be “unlocked” for the public, who can begin playing the game online May 21."
There is even a video to go along with it:Snoop Dog FragranceThrough Facebook, the more people that like the Snoop Dog fragrance, the cheaper the price gets for the fans to buy it. Kind of fun.Buffalo Wild WingsEarlier this year, Buffalo Wild Wings partnered with Scvngr to allow "customers [to] complete challenges on their smartphones and win prizes, like Buffalo Wild Wings and Coca-Cola, which are redeemable on the spot. Such challenges, like snapping a photo with a fan of an opposing team, earn fans points that go toward winning the grand prize of a trip to see the NBA finals with Scottie Pippen, formerly of the Chicago Bulls."There are many other examples brands experimenting with game dynamics floating around out there, and most of them seem to use Scvngr as their partner in the efforts. While results remain to be seen, the approaches seem on track and look to be engaging for customers.