MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Mineski Group Regional VP for Marketing Jamie Paraso recently shared insights on gamification and immersive brand experiences at The National Marketing Conference 2023: READY MARKETING ONE! The annual conference, organized by the Philippine Marketing Association, gathers marketing professionals, academicians, SMEs, and industry leaders to explore evolving marketing trends.
Drawing inspiration from the film READY PLAYER ONE, the 52nd National Marketing Conference embraced the digital realm with the theme being “Metaverse Marketing: Ready Marketing One.”
This year’s conference featured case studies, brand learnings, tools, and pro-tips from local and international marketing experts, aiming to shine a spotlight on cutting-edge marketing strategies, technologies, and trends shaping the future. It also aimed to equip attendees with the necessary know-how and next steps for navigating the digital landscape of the metaverse and implementing these innovative strategies in their marketing efforts. Additionally, the conference adopted a hybrid format for the first time, allowing both physical and virtual attendance.
In his talk, Jamie elaborated on the changing role of entertainment, stating that it no longer was made for purely leisure – but facilitates building connections, creating an impact, and empowering users to choose how they experience content.
He noted the rising popularity of gamification in the Philippines, applied across marketing campaigns, employee training, and leveraging the surge in mobile gaming and esports. Jamie stressed that businesses recognize the effectiveness of gamified approaches in capturing attention, fostering competition, and shaping desired behaviors – a trend that Mineski Global was able to anticipate through its gamification of the ecommerce ecosystem.
“Truth be told, a lot of these people, our target market, the sweet spot of 25- to 30-plus years old have been digital natives from Day 1. They have been the core target for e-commerce and conversion,” he stated. “[The] proof of concept of this is a lot of these people–and a lot of the gamers we have worked with on a daily basis–purchase skins or in-game top-ups. From day one, they are so accustomed to logging in and topping up their mobile games to shopping apps. So they are very much familiar with being able to purchase things online.”
When asked how businesses can effectively leverage gamification to create immersive brand experiences and best practices for integrating gamification into their marketing strategies, Jamie put an emphasis on understanding the target audience and their experiences within the existing marketing ecosystem.
“To be able to properly gamify, knowing the audience is key. Taking into consideration what they engage with and what they enjoy so as not to create a contrived user journey or experience. Rewarding the user is one thing but to be able to create value in the journey and process creates sustainability and a meaningful loyalty loop that embeds brands into the daily conversations of end consumers,” he explained.
In practice, Mineski Global has strengthened gamification in the country through brands like GG Truck, Slash, and mgames. Slash, a ticketing and gamification platform, elevates events through digital event passports and access to over 150 games. Mgames, available on Gcash’s GLife and the Viber messaging app, aims to provide an immersive gamified experience, while GG Truck takes gamification to rural areas, offering memorable experiences to consumers.
