How, and when can Gamification be used as an effective marketing tool? This is what PhD student Johan Högberg is studying in his current research.
In his research, PhD student Johan Högberg, looks at whether it’s possible to use apps with different game elements to influence purchase decisions in physical stores, and if it is possible to create positive customer experiences that make customers more loyal to the store.
"Today, 90 percent of customers use their smart phones during shopping, so there's a big potential for using game elements in apps for marketing purposes. This has made Gamification interesting to many companies. Unfortunately, the promise of Gamification’s potential doesn’t always meet the expectations. I hope my research will help to create more knowledge about when it can be used as an effective marketing tool", says Johan Högberg.
Some research in psychology shows that if one has to work a little extra for a reward, it becomes more valued. In one study, Johan Högberg have looked at whether this psychological mechanism can be used in gamification.
"In the study, one group of customers had access to a special offer, but only after they completed a quiz. Another group received the same offer, but without having to complete the quiz. The expected result was that those who completed the quiz would utilize the offer to a greater extent, but that wasn’t the case. Instead the customers who didn’t do the quiz used the offer the most. This is an example of when gamification isn’t working as planned", says Johan Högberg.
Learn more about the study in this article: Gamified in-store mobile marketing: The mixed effect of gamified point-of-purchase advertising
Johan Högberg is a PhD student in psychology at CTF, Service Research Center at Karlstad University. His research focus is on digitalization and how companies can use Gamification in physical stores. He plans to defend his doctoral dissertation during the fall of 2019.
