What comes to your mind when you think of Finland? Sauna, snow and possibly Angry Birds? (Yes, this world-famous game was really created in Finland, not in Silicon Valley). But there’s one more thing that should be on that list: innovative city marketing. Case in point: The City of Oulu. Located in the centre of the country, this city has been using creative methods to promote itself to students – with some impressive results. Keep reading to find out how they did it (and maybe steal a few ideas for your own city)!
The City of Oulu in Finland has taken an innovative approach to market itself to new students – by gamifying the process! The game, called “Test your Oulu knowledge”, is designed to teach students about the city’s customs and culture, using the local dialect and sayings as the central focus. To bring this vision to life, they turned to Adact for help with the multiple video trivia.
Implementing gamification: an absolute success story or a total disaster?
The videos in the trivia feature a social media star from Oulu asking questions about different sayings or dialect words, which are then answered in the game. The trivia-style format has been a hit with viewers, with many taking to social media to comment on the humorous and entertaining nature of the videos.
With Adact’s help, the City of Oulu has created a fun and engaging way to introduce new students to the city. By making the learning process enjoyable, they’re more likely to remember the information – and maybe even share it with their friends! Who knows, maybe gamification will become the new standard for marketing campaigns targeting students.
The City of Oulu’s multiple video trivia example
When the public saw how much fun people were having with their campaign, they wanted to get in on it too! The feedback stayed positive throughout and that’s what made this such a successful venture for our city – because no matter where you are, there will always be someone telling others about the City of Oulu as well. With a bounce rate of only 23% AND thousands of people playing their game, their gamification campaign definitely paid off.
Gamification: Transforming Marketing through Play
Gamification is the practice of integrating game mechanics and design elements into non-game contexts to engage and motivate people in achieving their goals. By tapping into intrinsic human motivations such as competition, achievement, and collaboration, gamification transforms mundane tasks into engaging and enjoyable experiences.
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How can you get started with gamification?
The City of Oulu’s gamified marketing campaign is a great example of how to make learning fun. By working with Luova Työmaa creative agency and Adact, they were able to create a gamified campaign including a series of videos that not only taught new students about the city but also entertained them. So… If you’re looking for an out-of-the-box way to market your city or school, gamification may be worth considering.
