Gaming Strategy: A Business Imperative

In an era saturated with digital interactions, a quiet revolution is underway, reshaping how businesses connect with their customers and employees.

It’s a shift so fundamental, so ingrained in human nature, that many of us are participating without even realizing it.

The world, it turns out, is rapidly becoming one giant game board, and every company, whether they know it or not, needs a strategy to play.

This provocative assertion comes from Bastian Bergmann, cofounder of Solsten and former Boston Consulting Group luminary, whose latest book, “Press Play: Why Every Company Needs a Gaming Strategy”, posits that even platforms as seemingly straightforward as Instagram are, at their core, games.

His reasoning is compelling: Instagram, like any good game, is built on a cycle of goals and objectives (gaining followers, interactions), rules (posting content, hashtags), interactions (likes, comments, DMs), challenges (algorithm changes, content creation), and ultimately, outcomes, rewards, and feedback (new followers, viral posts).

It’s a system designed to keep us engaged, pursuing virtual triumphs.

This perspective isn’t just academic; it taps into a deeply human desire for play and achievement.

If people inherently love games, it follows that they’ll likely develop an affinity for the entities providing those engaging experiences.

The concept of gamification emerged over a decade ago, initially seen as a quirky, digitally-driven method to motivate staff and consumers.

Today, however, we’re witnessing its evolution from a niche tactic to a pervasive, strategic imperative.

The numbers don’t lie.

With over three billion gamers globally, the boundaries between dedicated gaming and everyday life have blurred irrevocably.

This isn’t just about teenagers with controllers; it’s about the person next to you on the plane matching colorful gems in Candy Crush Saga, one of 270 million monthly players.

It’s about Bergmann’s wife, who wouldn’t call herself a gamer but is hooked on 2048 and the New York Times games bundle – the latter being a key driver in the Times’ surprising digital revenue growth in a struggling publishing industry.

Everyone, on some level, is a player.

This widespread engagement has spilled over into the mainstream commercial and corporate landscape.

Brands as diverse as Peloton, Burberry, BMW, Chipotle, and, yes, The New York Times, are actively integrating gaming strategies into their operations.

This isn’t merely about adding a superficial layer of “fun”; it’s about harnessing the transformative power of immersive experiences.

Bergmann highlights that a staggering 80% of customers are more inclined to make a purchase when companies offer personalized, deeply engaging interactions.

In a world awash with choices, the ability to create memorable, interactive experiences is a potent differentiator.

So, how does a company navigate this gamified world?

Bergmann outlines four strategic pathways.

The first involves integrating with existing video games, identifying titles that already reach desired audiences. This can range from subtle in-game advertisements to product placements or even the integration of actual services within a game’s ecosystem.

The second option is to create entirely new video games. While more resource-intensive, this allows for the meticulous design of an experience perfectly aligned with a brand’s identity and goals, yielding invaluable first-party data directly from customer interactions.

A third, more nascent, avenue is leveraging Web3 games. Built on blockchain technology, these offer novel marketing and monetization opportunities, tapping into decentralized economies and digital ownership.

Finally, and perhaps most ambitiously, companies can make the video game the product itself. This is a rarer feat, with Peloton standing out as a prime example, where the interactive, competitive cycling experience is central to its offering, fundamentally shifting the fitness paradigm.

Real-world applications underscore the potency of these strategies. United Airlines, for instance, has developed in-app games like “Cleared to Land,” where players act as air traffic controllers, coordinating landings amidst the complexities of a real airport.

Another, “Flight Simulator,” mirrors actual pilot training. These aren’t just distractions; Bergmann points out they strategically reinforce United’s brand message of “flying friendly” by immersing users in the intricacies and responsibilities of air travel.

In another success story, toymaker Hasbro collaborated with MobilityWare to create “Monopoly Solitaire.” This venture not only doubled Hasbro’s revenue expectations within a year of its launch but also provided profound insights into its target audience, revealing them to be entrepreneurial-minded individuals who valued mentorship.

This crucial learning underscores a fundamental truth in the gaming strategy paradigm: it’s not just about entertainment, but about deeply understanding your audience and crafting experiences that resonate.

Ultimately, the future of business engagement lies in recognizing that our world is increasingly structured like a game.

The companies that thrive will be those that thoroughly understand their audience, embrace the principles of play, and provide experiences so memorable and rewarding that customers will keep coming back for more.

It’s a strategic imperative, a new frontier where fun isn’t just a byproduct, but a powerful engine of growth and connection.