The tables have turned.  Remember when The Sims used to do little more than simulate real life?  Now advancements in the gaming industry rapidly spit out games with elements that make real life even better.  Not only can I get a few points closer to a free carton of lo mein by “checking in” to my local Chinese joint, but I also frequently find myself on a wild goose chase (aka scavenger hunt) in the hopes of scoring some spicy buffalo wings.  Some might say our lives have been gamified.

Gamification is the use of game mechanics in non-gaming systems to improve user experience and encourage engagement.  It is a pretty beefy marketing strategy (excuse all the food references…it’s almost dinner time.).  CAM is a proud gamification groupie, so we’ve laid out some of the best examples of this phenomenon in the hopes of convincing you that all our lives would be better if it were a game. >:p

Examples Of Gamification

 
Foursquare – This location-based service is seen by some as the mother of gamification.  Early in the game Foursquare incorporated businesses and offered users special discounts and rewards for “checking in.”  You can receive a local deal or even be crowned mayor of a particular location.  Bloomberg Shloomberg.

LinkedIn – LinkedIn and its progress bar.  Annoying to some?  Maybe because every time you log in it’s like, “YOUR PROFILE IS NOT 100% COMPLETE!”  But it ignites that competitive edge of yours to make your LinkedIn profile the best that it can be, and hey, that might work in your favor one day.

Nike Plus – Track and compare your running athletic endeavors with Nike Plus.  Set goals and share your victories with the Nike Plus community.  Motivate each other and discover rewards.  Nike Plus even has virtual games for those of us who rather sit on our lazy behinds and play our favorite Cool App. 😉 (And did I mention the sick Nike+ SportBand that gives you “More From Your Run”?)

 
Buffalo Wild Wings – Refer back to my wild goose chase for chicken wings.  Buffalo Wild Wings loves the trivia/scavenger hunt deal, and so do we!

Decode Jay-Z – In anticipation of Jay-Z’s autobiography launch, the beloved rapper combined treasure hunt and art installations to bring us the ultimate gamified marketing campaign. The idea was to “decode” his lyrics in order to uncover Jay-Z’s most personal history, and win a lifetime ticket for two to any Jay-Z concert, anywhere at anytime. Big Pimpin.

Tron – The Flynn Lives alternate reality game that promoted Tron: Legacy asked fans to join the search for the long lost Kevin Flynn.  It won a Thea and was super intense.  Need we say more?