Game On vs. Game Over?
GAMIFICATION: WINNING WAYS TO USES DISRUPTIVE TECH IN HOSPITALITY
“The most common mistake startups and established companies make is focusing too much on people who are currently consuming a product, instead of understanding why certain people ignore it,” observed Vienna University of Economics and Business Prof. Niloofar Abolfathi and National University of Singapore Prof. Simone Santamaria in their MIT Sloan Management Review article Dating Disruption - How Tinder Gamified an Industry. “Successful market entry means, first and foremost, identifying a niche not optimally served by incumbents and understanding what barriers keep members of that segment from using existing products. Once you’ve identified those barriers to use, you can successfully design a product to overcome these obstacles and deliver a new user experience.”
How can the Hospitality Industry utilize disruptive technology to tap the disinterested and not miss the opportunity boat? How can gamification be applied to address those “barriers” in the Hospitality sector?
I am captivated how gaming and similar innovative trends can be utilized in our sector. Yesterday I discussed Electronic Arts Inc., a global leader in digital interactive entertainment since 1982, which reportedly has more than 300 million international registered players. In 2018 alone, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $5.15 billion for games including The Sims, Madden NFL, EA SPORTS FIFA, Battlefield and Plants vs. Zombies. Have you every tried this type of interactive entertainment?
According to Abolfathi and Santamaria, “The most common mistake startups and established companies make is focusing too much on people who are currently consuming a product, instead of understanding why certain people ignore it.” As a result of the pandemic, AE introduced a new tag line, “Stay home. Stay together.” The platform deftly tries to persuade users that staying home and gaming is not only fun, but also socially responsible. If you have never played a game, again consider why not... would you play now, since gaming is angled as socially responsible? What additional barriers would need to be lifted for you or your clients to try gaming? Or just to try something different?
Chipotle Mexican Grill continues to engage potential clients with tech and give back to the community. For those unfamiliar with Chipotle’s mission, the restaurant seeks to “cultivate a better world by serving responsibly sourced, classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.” During the pandemic, Chipotle agilely adjusted marketing to keep in contact with and reach more clients staying at home. In addition to VR, the US-based restaurant chain relaunched Chipotle Challenger Series for 2020, featuring the biggest names in gaming and esports to join up and play with fans. Participants have the chance to win $50,000 and free meals Chipotle for a year. In addition to the prize money, Chipotle will make matching prize pool donation of $25,000 toward the winner’s choice of charities supporting the ongoing global crisis. In sum, the brand serves up the cool gaming factor -- 100 Thieves’ Matt “Nadeshot” Haag, Brooke “BrookeAB” Bond, as well as TSM’s Myth and fan-favorite streamers Jack “CouRage” Dunlop and JERICHO -- with a side of social responsibility to those suffering due to COVID-19, a toothsome combination for gamers and non-gamers alike.
In a literal play on gaming, Pepsi, known for its long ago Pepsi Challenge marketing maneuver, has partnered with GIF-sharing platform Giphy to create a library of shareable GIFs for the new flavors new flavor Pepsi Vanilla Zero Sugar and the return of Pepsi Wild Cherry Zero Sugar. So if the “barrier” is that you always choose Coke, Pepsi is trying to convince you to just try a sip. Think about why you would or wouldn’t want to try these new flavors.
The “Copier” spot promotes Wild Cherry while “Ribbon” promotes the new Vanilla flavor; the ads feature music from LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” and The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights.” (As an aside, don’t miss this documentary-type short film about Uncle Drew from Pepsi. Readers and ball-players, if you watch the ad until the end, you’ll understand why more than 56,850,000 other people watched it too. It’s all in the game.)
So readers, we can all agree that we enjoy being entertained. But what leads us to choose whether or not to play and to choose if we play a new game or the same game? Now, think about your clients and customers...How many of them want the same experience, visit after year, year after year? Why? Think about potential clients... how can you utilize gaming technology to disrupt their rote choices and break down the “barriers” to have them try whatever your business has to offer? Would spotlighting community involvement and social activism make sense for your brand? What prevents potential clients from choosing your business? To quote Profs. Abolfathi and Santamaria, “Once you’ve identified those barriers to use, you can successfully design a product to overcome these obstacles and deliver a new user experience.”
Now, step back. How can you use this knowledge to your utmost advantage? It’s time for you to decide.. will it be game on or game over? Game on, of course!
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