How to make gamification work in marketing
Gamification works. Not just because it’s fun. Because it taps into something deeper than fun: the need to feel progress. To feel seen. To feel like we’re part of something, even when we’re alone on the couch with our phone.
Research shows that gamification only drives engagement when it’s wrapped in real, user-centered experience. Not just badges and points, but a sense of momentum, control, and relevance. It’s not about adding a game. It’s about making the interaction feel like play.
Duolingo knows this. You don’t just learn French. You keep a streak. You level up. You feel the tension of the owl’s gaze if you skip a day. It’s gamified, yes. What keeps you going isn’t the badge in and of itself. It’s the story you’re in. The identity you build. The fact that breaking the chain feels like letting someone down. Yourself, mostly.
Strava (talking about Strava)does it too. Not just with segments and leaderboards, but with trophies, monthly challenges, and routes that whisper: “You’ve done this before. Can you do it better?” It’s not a fitness tracker. It’s a platform that turns movement into narrative. Your data becomes drama.
Spotify plays a different game. Think Wrapped. Think badges for genre explorers, playlists that adapt to mood. It’s not ‘gamified’ in the obvious sense but it taps the same circuit: identity, feedback, progression. You’re not just a listener. You’re the hero of your own algorithmic adventure.
The research confirms what these brands already do. The mechanics matter less than the meaning. A badge without context is noise. But add narrative, agency, or surprise and you’ve got something sticky, something emotional.
The key is alignment. What works on Duolingo wouldn’t work on Spotify. What motivates a Strava user might bore a casual shopper. Gamification only works when it mirrors the user’s intent and elevates it. Engagement isn’t earned by dangling rewards. It’s earned by making the journey feel like it matters.
The best marketing doesn’t gamify the message. It makes the message the game and lets the user be the hero, not the brand. .
