Gap Analysis of Implementation: Perception of Gamification Elements in Advertising Content (Case Study: Social Network and Online Taxi Application TAPSI)

Objective
In the current digital landscape, organizations are increasingly leveraging innovative strategies in online advertising to capture consumer attention and foster brand loyalty. Among these strategies is gamification, which involves incorporating game design elements into non-game contexts to enhance user engagement and motivation. Gamification has proven to be a powerful tool in digital marketing, particularly on social media platforms, where user interaction is pivotal to success. By embedding game-like elements into advertisements, businesses can attract attention, heighten engagement, enrich user experiences, and ultimately improve retention rates, fostering greater brand loyalty. A notable example of this approach can be found in the online transportation sector, specifically with TAPSI, a ride-hailing service. TAPSI has employed various gamification mechanics and dynamics within its app and on Instagram, aiming to attract and engage users more effectively. However, a key challenge lies in aligning TAPSI’s gamification strategies with established principles and addressing the gap between the company’s implementation of gamification elements and customer perceptions of their presence. This research examines the role of gamification in the social media advertising content of the online car service industry, focusing on TAPSI’s application of gamification and the perceptual gap between the company's intentions and customer experiences.
 
Research Methodology
This study utilized a mixed-methods approach, conducted in two phases. The first phase involved qualitative content analysis to assess the presence or absence of gamification mechanics and dynamics in TAPSI’s app and Instagram content. The corpus for this analysis comprised all advertisements posted by TAPSI on its Instagram platform and within the TAPSI app between 2023 and 2024. Gamification elements analyzed included dynamics-such as emotions, constraints, narrative, progression, and relationships - and mechanics - including turn-taking, chance, competition, collaboration, feedback, resource acquisition, rewards, challenges, transactions, and winning status.
In the second phase, a quantitative survey was conducted to evaluate customer perceptions of the use of gamification elements in TAPSI’s app and Instagram content. The survey instruments were based on established gamification scales by Xu & Hamari (202) and Kim et al. (202). Convenience sampling was employed, with a sample size determined to be 384, following the Morgan table for an infinite population. Data analysis was performed usingSPSS version 26 and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Ultimately, by aligning customer perceptions of gamification elements in the TAPSI software with researchers’ analyses (using a qualitative content analysis approach) regarding the presence or absence of these elements, the implementation-perception gaps were identified, and strategies were proposed to address them.
Findings
TAPSI has integrated various gamification dynamics and mechanics into its business practices, particularly within its advertising content Instagram and its mobile app. Analysis of the 2023-2024 content revealed extensive use of gamification elements, with examples of dynamics such as emotions, constraints, narrative, progression, and relationships frequently observed. For instance, TAPSI’s support for national during major international events, intended to evoke emotions of pride patriotism, exemplified its use of emotional dynamics. The progression dynamic was in the app’s design, where users could track their points and progress through various levels, such as Earth, Moon, Sun, and Galaxy.
Constraints, another key dynamic, were also prominent. Time limitations on discounts and points incentivized users to monitor available offers to avoid missing out. Furthermore, TAPSI fostered a sense of community and relationship-building among users, drivers, and management, positioning them as interconnected members of TAPSI ecosystem.
Regarding gamification mechanics, TAPSI effectively utilized a wide range of elements, including challenges, chance, competition, and rewards. One notable mechanic was the element of chance, which TAPSI incorporated through periodic lotteries and promotions. The feedback and winning status mechanics were also used to publicize winners of challenges and competitions, serving to motivate broader user participation. TAPSI successfully engaged users by introducing a variety of challenges and competitions supported by rewards. However, not all mechanics were present. Notably, no instances of transactions or turn-taking mechanics were identified in TAPSI’s app or Instagram content.
The analysis of the implementation-perception gap revealed discrepancies between TAPSI’s use of gamification elements and customer awareness and understanding of these elements. Customer perceptions of transactions, collaboration, and turn-taking were notably weak, mirroring the absence or limited of these elements by TAPSI. Additionally, while TAPSI implemented mechanics such as narrative, progression, constraints, competition, resource acquisition, and rewards, customer perceptions of these elements were similarly underwhelming. In several cases, TAPSI had implemented a dynamic or mechanic, but customers exhibited a limited perception of its presence.
Discussion & Conclusion
Despite the growth of this sector in major cities, the market remains largely dominated by traditional transportation companies. Consequently, gamification plays a significant role in fostering the expansion of online transportation services. However, when implementing gamification within the transportation sector, it is essential to recognize that its effectiveness is contingent upon various factors. Moreover, a structured and well-informed approach is vital for ensuring the successful application of gamification.
Given these considerations, careful attention must be paid to the use of gamification in online transportation to maximize its impact and enhance overall effectiveness. Despite TAPSI’s strategic efforts to incorporate gamification into its advertising content, customer perception of these elements remains incomplete, undermining their overall effectiveness in capturing user attention. To address this gap, TAPSI must consider several recommendations based on the research findings. First, the company should establish partnerships with reputable firms to enhance the resource acquisition mechanic and design challenges that accommodate varying skill levels to foster greater competition. Second, TAPSI should implement campaigns with clear themes and objectives to encourage collaboration among users, thereby strengthening the collaboration mechanic.
Additionally, although TAPSI has employed a range of rewards for both passengers and drivers, customer perceptions of the reward remain limited. The divergence in customer expectations regarding the type and value of rewards may explain TAPSI’s lack of success in this area. To address this, TAPSI should tailor its reward offerings to reflect the diverse demographic and socio-economic of its users, providing both monetary and non-monetary incentives.
Finally, to boost user engagement with the app and TAPSI’s social media content, the company should explore additional strategies for imposing limitations, such as capping point accumulation or limiting the frequency of reward usage. These modifications could serve to increase the attractiveness of TAPSI’s gamification efforts and better align customer perceptions with the company’s objectives.