Gamification and Serious Games
July 5, 2012 Leave a Comment
A few weeks back I attended the Useful Social Media conference in New York. It was refreshing to meet people face-to-face, to learn about the new and inventive ways companies are using social media, and to commiserate over the many challenges and roadblocks that still exist when it comes to corporate social media. In many ways social has seen a great evolution, but in other ways social is in its infancy. When it comes to gamification, 2012 shined a spotlight on gaming and game mechanics – the strenghts, the opportunities, and the room for growth.
In a pre-conference workshop, gamification platform provider, Bunchball summarized the game mechanics that motivate and engage. They talked about the importance of progress (levels in games, miles and points, progress bars), status (standings in leaderboards, likes and followers, communities, groups and teams), and rewards (access to exclusives and perks, early boarding/upgrades, recognition). More importantly, the key takeaway was that gamification works best when tied to a business case.
In March, Steven Tyler, the lead singer for Aerosmith, set the fashion world ablaze by appearing on American Idol with feather extensions in his hair. Apparently, feathers are among the latest fashion trend and Stephen Tyler isn’t the only celebrity sporting them. Gwyneth Paltrow, Vanessa Hudgens, Kat Von D, Jessica Biel, and Hilary Duff have also been seen wearing feather earrings.