Commentary

Gaming Engages Political Supporters Who Give And Give Again

Suspend your political beliefs for a moment. This is a column about the use of play and interactivity in the Hillary for America presidential campaign. 

Let’s face it. The emails, phone calls and texts one receives as a donor to any form of non-profit organization can backfire and become increasingly grating if not handled properly. 

Give once and you’re on the hook to hear again, and again, and yet again from your cause(s) of choice. 

It can be easy to zone out the messaging as it takes on an added sense of urgency and seeming desperation. 

On HillaryClinton.com, we’re seeing classic forms of gamification. I found myself repeatedly playing a shuffle the deck game pitting the priorities of Hillary Clinton against those of Donald Trump over the past five decades. 

“Shuffle through the timeline to see what Hillary and Trump were up to,” the game invites. By clicking Shuffle, a random year pops up. 

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On the mobile site, you see one first and then shuffle to the other. On the website, both are presented side by side. 

2014 — Hillary becomes a grandmother when Chelsea’s daughter, Charlotte, is born. She says it’s the best job she’s ever had. 

2014 — Trump says he will “absolutely” release his tax returns if he runs for office. Note: he has still yet to release his tax returns. 

2010 — Hillary works to impose sanctions on Iran, paving the path to shutting down their nuclear programs. 

2010 — Trump University is shut down after allegations that the program scammed students out of what turned out to be $40 million. 

This playful tool is a great way for any content creator to present their story in an engaging and somewhat addictive fashion. It’s the images that make the words come alive. 

Hillary For America also invites supporters to vote for the final campaign sticker, choosing from one in four designs. Once done, this moves into a call for final contributions. 

Still, nothing on the official campaign can compare with the creative energy unleashed by Trump’s “nasty woman” comment during the final debate. 

Within minutes, it seemed, a full array of physical products bearing those words appeared online, ranging from T-shirts to stickers to memes. 

Sales from some of these T-shirts will direct proceeds to fund Planned Parenthood. The moment seemed a tipping point, giving uninspired younger voters something they could grab onto. 

The best brands will learn how to dance in the rain, as it were: forging ahead with their own campaigns while living in what pours down from the creative collection that is the internet.

2 comments about "Gaming Engages Political Supporters Who Give And Give Again".
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  1. Aimee Stern from stern Communications, October 24, 2016 at 9:31 a.m.

    Does gaming extend to the endless surveys that are sent to "see where you stand" and then ask for money over and over again? At this point I am getting three or for a day. Or is there another name for that tactic which the Senate PACs will not stop sending? 

  2. Laurie Petersen from PSS, October 24, 2016 at 10:06 a.m.

    Hi Aimee, How great to see your name! I think those fall in the category of "shoot me now!"

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