Abstract—The objective of the article was to identify the impacts of gamification on customers' behaviour. The most important applications of games in marketing and mechanisms of gamification are presented in the article. A detailed analysis of the influence of gamification on customers using two brands, Foursquare and Nike, was also presented. Research studies using auditory survey methods were carried out among 176 young respondents, who are potential targets of gamification. The studies confirmed a huge participation of young people in customer loyalty programs with relatively low participation in other gamification-based marketing activities. The research findings clearly indicate that gamification mechanisms are the most attractive. Keywords—Customer loyalty, games, gamification, social aspects. I. INTRODUCTION OTS of companies are seeking new ways of reaching customers. Game mechanisms that are capable of influencing customers' behaviour are increasingly becoming popular. Such mechanisms, adopted from the computer games industry can be skillfully introduced into marketing. In their simplest forms, they come as loyalty programs for rewarding multiple purchases. They can also be in forms of extensive applications in which the customer, like a player, performs tasks and even becomes a part of a social community. Gamification fits within the specificities of games as it is rooted in typically game related components. The study findings imply that scholars believe gamification is worthy of serious study as the network of scholars studying gamification is increasing [1]. Gamification is a growing phenomenon of interest to both practitioners and researchers [2]. The objective of the article is to identify the impacts of gamification on customers' behaviour. II. APPLICATION OF GAMES IN MARKETING Ever since game theory was formalized by Von Neumann and Morganstern in 1944, its applications to marketing situations have seemed a natural fit, especially in the area of competitive behaviour and negotiations [3]. The scope of gaming components that is being used in modern marketing is extensive. It involves the use of varied mechanisms hither known from the gaming world. The emphasis, however, is on those commonly applied in the B. Zatwarnicka-Madura is with the Department of Marketing, Faculty of Management, Rzeszow University of Technology, Rzeszow, Poland (phone: +48 17 865 13 83; e-mail: bezat@prz.edu.pl). design of computer games. The mere use of game mechanisms does not, however, indicate gamification as it is a more extensive concept. The application of game components can be observed both in the designing of loyalty programs as well as in situations when the purchase of a product involves being rewarded with a free product. The use of game mechanisms relies on the use of one or few features of games [4]. Each of them is characterized by the following features namely, chances of winning, a goal that is achieved in course of playing a game, activities, which ought to be undertaken by a player and which ought to be disrupted by varied obstacles as well as rules which make each game specific [5]. Game components that are applicable in modern marketing strengthen ties between a brand and the customer. The intensification of interests in these methods has been due to the observable multiplication of profits by companies and the sustenance of durable ties with customers by using game components. III. GAMIFICATION - COMPONENTS AND MECHANISMS Gamification can be defined as the application of typical elements of game playing (e.g. point scoring, competition with others, rules of play) to other areas of activity, typically as an online marketing technique to encourage engagement with a product or service [6], [7]. Gamification is aimed at arousing engagement of users which translates into establishing ties between the brand and the consumer [8]. Gamification is the process of engaging audiences by leveraging the best of loyalty programs, game design, and behavioral economics [9]. Game mechanisms were initially applied in military and economic simulations. However, the fastest growth in gamification was noted in modern marketing and in employee motivating systems. Developments in gamification are manifestations of the existence of socio-cultural trends that encourage effective adaptation of game mechanisms. They have become components of education, brand development, human resources management and are being developed in business for employee motivation. Gamification in weaving mechanisms and structures applicable in games into marketing activities is aimed at gaining and sustaining customer loyalty. This terminology was voted the Trend of the year for 2010 in USA by the New York Times [10]. Game mechanisms consist of several components. It is a set of tools whose task is to sustain players at a given level of engagement. The mechanisms of games involve the player encountering motivators that are both internal and external. Internal motivators include the feeling of belonging, achieved status while specific rewards and punishments are regarded as Gamification as a Tool for Influencing Customers' Behaviour B. Zatwarnicka-Madura L World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Economics and Management Engineering Vol:9, No:5, 2015 1461 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 9(5) 2015 scholar.waset.org/1307-6892/10001274 International Science Index, Economics and Management Engineering Vol:9, No:5, 2015 waset.org/Publication/10001274