Happy Friday! We scoured the internet over the last week to bring you the latest gamification, customer loyalty and rewards program news. There were a lot of interesting new game mechanics applications this week, so be sure to check out some of the cool ways different industries are using gamification!
How SuMo’s gamification helps firms wrestle with green issues ZDNet 9/27/2012 Gamification and green technology are nothing new, but a new app from CloudApps unveiled at the Salesforce Dreamforce event took the next step in green technology. SuMo is designed to encourage employees to hit corporate sustainability and social responsibility goals and it does this by using gamification elements. The app allows companies to measure their goals and success in a way that previously hasn’t been easy for the corporate environment. Additionally, with the apps game mechanics, it encourages employees to engage in company goals by changing their workplace behaviors.
Gamification of security and video surveillance… Info4Security 9/27/2012 If anyone has ever used software that accompanies security or video surveillance technology, you might understand where this article is coming from. Notoriously hard to use and frustrating, some security system companies are turning to UX experts and gamification to help improve the user experience of their software systems. We’ve seen gamification elements used in software before to help guide new users through training and this seems like an interesting application to help alleviate the challenges these companies are facing.
Can Kia’s gamification change the way we drive our cars? The Next Web 9/22/2012 Quite a few auto-makers are turning to gamification to try to alter driver behavior towards a more sustainable way of driving. Toyota and Nissan have both done this with their hybrid cars, and even American car company Chevrolet has included some gamification elements in their Volt electric car. Now Kia is jumping on the trend with their new Optima hybrid. This is a great dissection of the Kia system, with photos and videos to show how the system operates and what behaviors it attempts to discourage.
NASA, Angry Birds and the Question of Gamification Government Executive 9/20/2012 While we don’t really think this qualifies as gamification, we do think it is pretty cool to see a social game like Angry Birds teaming up with a government entity like NASA. We are seeing more and more that the government is willing to embrace games and game mechanics to improve programs (anyone remember America’s Army?) and this seems like a great step in the right direction. Plus, does anyone dislike the Mars rover?
The Sticky Factor: Social Gaming Drives Brand Engagement Over TV Ads Adotas 9/24/2012 Online brands are not the only ones who are focusing on brand engagement. TV shows are also looking for ways to engage their audiences through mobile apps to connect the visual experience with the mobile phones most users are holding while they watch. This article highlights quite a few different companies that are focused on customer retention and engagement for brands and the way they are working with different industries to combat these issues.