Why brands are turning to gamified marketing

When Nordic electronics retailer Elkjøp set out to encourage kids to recycle old gadgets, the solution wasn’t another poster or PSA. Instead, the brand entered a space where its audience already felt at home: gaming.

In collaboration with DDB, Elkjøp launched Minecraft Urban Miners - an initiative that allowed kids to trade in unused electronics in exchange for Minecoins. The campaign translated a real-world behavior into a familiar in-game reward system, blending sustainability with play. The result was engagement that extended far beyond the screen, sparking conversations between children, parents, and the brand itself.

This is the power of gamified marketing when it’s done right: it doesn’t interrupt culture - it becomes part of it. At Rabbits Foot Studios, projects like this reflect a broader shift the studio is seeing across the industry. Brands are no longer asking if they should explore gaming, but how to do it authentically.

A shift from campaigns to participation

Sara Sundgren, CEO, Rabbit's Foot Studios: “We’re seeing a clear increase in client requests to gamify content.”

These requests span everything from launching branded experiences on platforms like Roblox, to building content ecosystems within Minecraft, to rethinking how a brand behaves across its own channels using the language of gaming communities. Crucially, gamification today is not just about creating games.

It’s about adopting a mindset - one shaped by interaction, progression, and agency. Audiences no longer want to be talked at; they want to be involved.

Sundgren: “Gaming has trained people to expect participation,” “If a brand wants attention, it needs to offer something to do, not just something to watch.”

Storytelling is still the entry point

While technology often dominates conversations around gaming, those working closest to the space know that storytelling remains the foundation.

Akram Janzi, Head of Brand Collaboration within Gaming, Rabbit's Foot Studios: “To participate in the gaming scene, storytelling has to sit at the center. From the experience itself to social content and marketing assets, everything needs to feel like it belongs in that world.”

In gaming culture, stories are not fixed - they’re shaped by communities. Players remix, share, and reinterpret brand touchpoints in ways that traditional advertising can’t control. For brands, this requires trust and a willingness to co-create rather than dictate.

Designing play, not gimmicks

Gamification often gets reduced to surface-level mechanics, but Creative Director Robert Fernstedt argues that true impact comes from deeper design thinking.

Robert Fernstedt, Creative Director, Rabbit's Foot Studios: “Good gamification isn’t about points or badges,” he says. “It’s about understanding motivation and designing systems that feel natural and rewarding.”

At Rabbit's Foot Studios, this means translating brand values into mechanics that encourage exploration, collaboration, or problem-solving - without breaking immersion. When done well, gamified content becomes something audiences return to, not something they skip.

Why gaming matters beyond players

One of the most important insights driving this shift is that gaming is no longer an isolated phenomenon. It’s one of the world’s largest industries, home to some of the biggest communities on the planet, and as mainstream as scrolling social media or listening to music.

Gaming doesn’t just engage players - it engages families, friend groups, and entire cultures. Campaigns like Minecraft Urban Miners show how in-game actions can drive real-world behavior, bridging digital play and physical impact. For brands, this opens up a new creative frontier. Gaming is not a bolt-on channel; it’s an ecosystem where storytelling, community, and interaction converge.

From observer to participant

As gaming continues to merge with commerce, culture, and social platforms, brands face a defining choice: stay on the sidelines, or learn how to play. Gamified marketing offers a way in - but only for those willing to respect the medium, understand the audience, and invest in craft. For the brands that do, the reward isn’t just attention. It’s relevance, loyalty, and a lasting place inside the world’s most engaged communities.

www.rabbitsfootstudios.se

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