If you're a marketer, chances are you've been hearing the term "gamification" thrown around quite a bit lately. Over the course of the last month, I've been doing a lot of research about what gamification means for interactive marketers and identifying the opportunities that exist. The result? A report set to publish next month chock-full of examples and definitions. 

So, what is gamification? Forrester's defines gamification as: The insertion of game dynamics and mechanics into non-game activities to drive a desired behavior. 

Interactive marketers use game mechanics to drive brand engagement. This begins with the motivations –what triggers people to want to interact with a game. The motivations drive actions that are incentivized by rewards. The rewards help players to earn achievements that reinforce the initial motivations. And there you have it, introducing The Engagement Loop. 

We're just wrapping up the research now, and soon you'll be able to learn more about vendors, such as Bunchball, that can help you gamify everything from your website to your mobile app; you'll also be able to view examples of brands that are playing to win.