What makes play credible in our business marketing?

A business purpose gives play a role beyond attracting attention: participants engage with the story to make decisions, explore possibilities or understand consequences. Serious subject matter need not rule out a playful format. IBM's CityOne, for example, asked professionals to make decisions about running a sustainable and environmentally conscious city using data and technology. Information and guidance explained the domino effect of decisions, while a final score provided feedback.

The practical test is whether playing requires engagement with the business subject. Event Marketer reported in 2025 that Morgan Stanley at Work's Thrive 2025 activation used 6 film-themed interactive stations directly mapped to financial-services offerings, with touchscreen participation, collectible tickets and QR links to detailed service information. Play and access to service information were connected parts of the experience.

A playful promotion is more credible when its format demonstrates the qualities of the offer. The 2018 direct mail campaign for IBM Garage used a coffee table book containing interactive elements, including a 65-clue crossword and a 360-degree video. Recipients could explore the video using their phones and the Google Cardboard viewer included in the mailing.

Puzzles and virtual exploration made innovation and experimentation part of the recipient's experience, rather than simply claims in the copy. The mailing offered a playful encounter consistent with the experimental character of IBM Garage. For a business considering play, the useful question is whether the activity lets participants experience the promise being promoted. The connection should be apparent in what people do, not depend solely on an accompanying explanation.