Gamification and products
Decoding English Premier league’s gamification strategy
It is not new for mobile applications to use ‘Gamification’ as a tool to engage users. Duolingo, a language learning app, built its entire habit building and engagement on Gamification.
What is Gamification?
In simple terms, Gamification is using game like elements in a product to mould user behaviour. In a typical game, gamers take up an individual or a team goal. They invest time and effort to beat levels by doing tasks. With each level, there are rewards. Products use similar concepts. By gamifying various tasks within a product, users can be made to complete adopt features quickly, engage socially, invite new users, spend more time on products etc. Duolingo influenced most of these behaviours using gamification
- By providing streaks , Duolingo made users to come back everyday to learn
2. By making users join a league with other learners, it influenced users to do more lessons to move across levels
3. By providing surprise rewards at the end of learning session, Duolingo influenced users to increase their learning in each session
How did English Premier League apply this?
English Premier League(EPL) is the top level of the men’s football in England. The Premier League is the most-watched sports league in the world. Arguably, it is also the most discussed league in the world. There are many reasons behind this. EPL’s strong TV distribution network helped reach a lot of viewers in Asia. They also modified the match timings suit the audiences of Asian audiences. Audiences tend to watch to only top clubs and top players. As a result, few club matches only get a lot of viewership.
EPL changed this behaviour through Fantasy premier league (FPL). It is the largest Fantasy Football game, owned and operated by the EPL. There are about 9 million active players in the FPL. FPL players choose team every week with a budget and get points based on player performing during the matches.
Players can create and join private leagues with friends and public leagues all over the world to compete against others.
It is a ‘Gamification’ strategy to ‘Influence Behavioural change’ among EPL audiences
- Follow more teams
- Make it a key topic among conversations
- Watch more games
It resulted in more games broadcasted, higher revenue per game televised.
Beware of overdoing !!
While gamification is a great tool to influence behaviour, it is important to ensure the influence is right and focus on the product outcomes. High Rewards lead to a lot of fraudulent mechanisms which can negatively impact users. Many Uber drivers faked their rides to reach daily milestones and earn rewards. FPL has given rise to a plethora of fantasy strategy products/gurus/podcasts. Someone whose sole aim to do well in FPL may not actually watch & analyze the games but may simply follow these products to top the leagues.
