When should we use games in B2B campaigns?

Games earn their place in B2B communication when participation helps people learn something relevant to the offering. Build the story into what players must consider, choose and understand to play well, rather than placing entertainment alongside a separate business explanation. IBM's CityOne illustrates the approach: professionals made decisions about running a sustainable and environmentally conscious city using data and technology. The game provided information and guidance about the knock-on effects of decisions, while remaining playful and giving players a score at the end. The useful test for a campaign is whether playing requires active engagement with the subject. A playful setting can support serious business storytelling when learning is part of the experience.

A game should express something credible about the experience your business promises. A 2018 direct mail campaign for IBM Garage put innovation and experimentation into the mailing itself. Participants received a coffee table book containing interactive elements, including a 65-clue crossword, alongside Google Cardboard for viewing a 360-degree video on the recipient's phone. The puzzles and virtual encounter made the promotion an example of the experimental character associated with IBM Garage. For campaign planning, the principle is to choose interactions that demonstrate the offer's character, not merely decorate its explanation. Games need not be confined to events: a mailing can also invite people to participate in a business story.