Is Gamification right for your message?

Over the past several years, the concept of “gamification” has gained a firm foothold in the marketing-sphere.  Taking a complex (or not so complex) marketing message and making it stickier through the use of gaming techniques is more popular than ever … but sometimes, marketers feel that it may not be appropriate for their message.

Take pharmaceuticals, for example. We’re talking about a highly regulated industry that features important drugs that help people live better lives, and, in many cases … simply live.  How could “gamification” possibly be appropriate when discussing something this critical?

Put yourself into the minds of the target audience who recommend and administer these drugs.  The road to becoming a medical professional is long and hard, and in order to succeed, these people have to continually stay abreast of the latest information to make sure they remain “in the know.”  In other words, these people are DRIVEN, and their schooling & training has made them highly COMPETITIVE.

Game theory leverages this driven & competitive nature, and if the challenge … or game … offers the added advantage of educating them about the newest and latest treatment information in their field, it’s a win/win.  They are given a chance to flex their competitive muscles while they learn important information.

Here’s an example. An MOA for a new drug can be transformed it into an interactive touchscreen game that not only tests the hand/eye coordination of the “player,” but also educates the medical professional about HOW the drug works, WHO can use it, and WHAT the potential outcomes are.

Success.  And you … the marketer … win too because you’ve accomplished what you set out to do; engage and educate your target audience by immersing them in your message … using gamification.

This is just one example.  So if you’re considering adding gamification to your marketing mix, but have some reservations, know that everyone … in most any business or walk of life … share a competitive gene, and we could ALL use a “spoonful of sugar” to help the marketing message go down.