Gamification and Experiential Marketing
- Eleanor Loveday
- Jun 13
- 3 min read
Grabbing and holding audience attention at events and exhibitions is no small feat. That’s where gamification comes in, blending play and purpose to help you stand out, and be remembered.
What is gamification?
Gamification is the use of game-like elements, such as scoring, challenges, leaderboards and rewards, in non-game environments like B2B events. It’s not just a buzzword – gamification is a tried and tested tactic for energising your stand (even in the most snooze-worthy industries)
How does gamification benefit brand experiences?
Increased footfall
A good game creates a buzz, and it’s bound to spark the curiosity of people passing by at the event. Seeing other people doing something fun or a prize up for grabs could trigger fear-of-missing out (FOMO), meaning that guests don’t just look from afar, they actively want to get involved too.
Walk around any event, and we guarantee you’ll see plenty of spinning wheels and instant prize giveaways. But it’s a classic for a reason – simple, easy to deploy, relatively low cost and accessible for people taking part. You might offer instant prizes, discounts, or exclusive content. You might balance the wins with some forefeits, like Years did at Crufts 2025. (What’s more, a lively host helped to bring the energy on the Years stand, drumming up more participation, more excitement, and plenty of Instagram stories too.)
Longer dwell time
Games naturally mean people will stay on your stand for longer – particularly if they’re watching a colleague take part too. And more time = more opportunity for conversation and connection. This was the case for iPrism at BIBA, with their addictive digital game ‘Polly-C’ keeping clients on the stand.
Amplified awareness
More eyeballs on your stand means better brand awareness. It could extend digitally too – a fun game is likely to draw more user-generated content and social sharing, building awareness outside of the exhibition hall.
Barenbrug’s putting green outside their BTME Clubhouse adds to the theming, drawing more attention to the stand and brand. (What’s more, Barenbrug won ‘Best Medium Stand’ at BTME 2023, giving an even bigger boost to brand awareness!)
A more engaged audience
Games are great icebreakers – relaxing attendees and sparking conversations. With the energy flowing, your guests will be more engaged and receptive to your brand, message, product or service.
We brought a series of interactive games to life for Sungard Availability Services at their IT events. From ‘Tame the Bear’ to ‘Disaster Recovery Challenge’, the games brought ‘intangible’ IT problems to life. The audience were more engaged, opening up conversations about Sungard’s services, and why they matter.
Education, not just entertainment
Games can be a great way of teaching your audience something, and making it stick.
For example, our client Sinclair International created their ‘compostable quiz’ (along with a time lapse of their compostable labels breaking down) to highlight key facts in a fun and interactive way.
Memorability and salience
While standing out is the first challenge for exhibiting brands, being remembered is the second. A unique game will make your brand more memorable, helping to build associations, memory networks, and salience.
There’s nothing like a countdown and a great incentive to raise competitive spirits. At BIBA 2025 MS Amlin Insurance introduced a legendairy challenge like no udder. Participants had to milk the life-sized cow as much as they could in 30 seconds, racing against the clock to beat their competitors and take home a luxury hamper. The interaction was memorable, unique, and fun (let’s face it, watching your colleagues speed-milk a cow meant laughs were inevitable)
Valuable data capture
People are far more willing to share their contact details when there’s something in it for them – think exclusive discounts or competition prizes. Your on-stand game is a great opportunity to capture data and plug it into your CRM – just like Castle Colour Packaging did with their ‘Build a Ben’ challenge at London Packaging Week.
Gamification can benefit you at multiple levels — turning passive passers-by into active participants, sparking meaningful conversations, and leaving a lasting impression long after the event ends. Whether it’s a high-energy challenge, an educational quiz, or a simple spin-to-win, gamified experiences are powerful parts of experiential marketing. So if you want to cut through the noise and create real connections at your next event, it might be time to press play.
Wondering how you might gamify your next brand experience? Get in touch today.
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