Last weekend I was a spectator at the Bath Half Marathon. Not a runner mind you, a spectator. I watched in awe as thousands of runners sailed past me. I really wanted to be part of that race, but I’m no runner. Well, maybe I could be, I just lack that one crucial thing, the motivation to go out and run.
Nike Plus Running is an ingenious app which may just solve my motivational issues when it comes to running. It is also a perfect example of gamification, a concept which I discussed in my last blog post. Gamification is where gaming mechanics are applied to non gaming products to increase engagement and activity. Nike have applied several gamification devices to their running app – rules, milestones, motivation, feedback and interaction with others.
Have Nike Plus Running active on your device (iPhone, iPod or Android) while you run and it will record your distance, duration, pace and calories burnt; this is just the start of its awesomeness. When you finish your run, upload it to NikePlus.com and the options become endless – see your running history, running routes, set yourself challenges or join group challenges and compete against friends. Every move you make earns you Nike Fuel, compare your earnings with your running buddies and show your commitment to the sport. Choose a power songs to get you through a running low, or post on Facebook that you are going on a run with Nike Plus Running and receive motivational cheers when friends comment or like.
I can imagine that for any competitive person it must be hard to stop themselves from running constantly. This was clearly the case for Kent Valentine, a blogger at Huffington Post UK, who thanks to Nike found himself wanting to go for a run at 11pm at night in the rain. Nike Plus Running has proved that gamification really does work. Since it began in 2006 it has attracted over 7 million runners to join its social running community.
Nike is not the only big brand to reap the benefits of using gamification in their products, check out The Next Web’s list of brands who are using this concept well.
Emma Wynne 