Impact of Gamification on Consumers’ Favorability in Cause-Related Marketing Programs: Between-Subjects Experiments

BackgroundSuccessful cause-related marketing (CRM) campaigns can help companies stand out from their competitors; however, CRM may not have pleasant outcomes, even if it receives substantial investment. ObjectiveThis research aimed to investigate how gamified CRM projects influence consumers’ favorability. MethodsWe introduced 3 different CRM projects in 3 different studies. Every project had 2 versions according to the level of gamification, and participants were randomly assigned into these 2 groups. Additionally, we used a 2 (gamification: lower, higher) 2 (rules presentation: without visual cues, with visual cues) between-subjects design to test the moderation role of rules presentation in gamified CRM projects. ResultsIn Study 1, we identified that the highly gamified CRM program induces more enjoyment (F1,139=21.11, P<.001) and higher favorability (F1,139=14.57, P<.001). Moreover, we found that enjoyment played a mediation role between gamification and favorability (P<.001) in Study 2. In addition, the results of Study 3 indicated rules presentation in a gamified CRM program can moderate the indirect effect of gamification on favorability via enjoyment (index of the moderated mediation: 95% CI –1.12 to –0.10; for rules presentation with visual cues: 95% CI 0.69 to 1.40; for rules presentation without visual cues: 95% CI 0.08 to 0.83). ConclusionsOverall, this research contributes to the CRM literature and suggests gamification is an effective way of managing CRM campaigns

Early mixed farming of millet and rice 7800 years ago in the Middle Yellow River region, China.

The Peiligang Culture (9000-7000 cal. yr BP) in the Middle Yellow River region, North China, has long been considered representative of millet farming. It is still unclear, however, if broomcorn millet or foxtail millet was the first species domesticated during the Peiligang Culture. Furthermore, it is also unknown whether millet was cultivated singly or together with rice at the same period. In this study, phytolith analysis of samples from the Tanghu archaeological site reveals early crop information in the Middle Yellow River region, China. Our results show that broomcorn millet was the early dry farming species in the Peiligang Culture at 7800 cal. yr BP, while rice cultivation took place from 7800 to 4500 cal. yr BP. Our data provide new evidence of broomcorn millet and rice mixed farming at 7800 cal. yr BP in the Middle Yellow River region, which has implications for understanding the domestication process of the two crops, and the formation and continuance of the Ancient Yellow River Civilization

Sampling locations from the Tanghu site.

<p>The plan positions of archaeological units is after Xin <i>et al.</i> (2010).</p

Comparison of morphological characteristics of rice bulliform in difference archaeological sites.

<p>The data from the Majiabang, Songze, and Liangzhu Cultures obtained from Zheng <i>et al. </i><a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0052146#pone.0052146-Zheng1" target="_blank">[34]</a>. The standard deviations of the references are not provided in the original paper. Phytolith portrait is after Fujiwara <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0052146#pone.0052146-Fujiwara1" target="_blank">[37]</a>.</p

Main phytolith types from the Tanghu site.

<p>A–c = rice bulliform; d–g = rice double peaked; h, i = phytoliths from broomcorn millet husk; j = long saddle; k = scutiform-bulliform from reed; l = common bulliform; m = <i>Cyperus</i> type; n = trapeziform sinuate (tooth type); o = woody phytolith.</p

Earliest domestication of common millet (Panicum miliaceum) in East Asia extended to 10,000 years ago

The origin of millet from Neolithic China has generally been accepted, but it remains unknown whether common millet (Panicum miliaceum) or foxtail millet (Setaria italica) was the first species domesticated. Nor do we know the timing of their domestication and their routes of dispersal. Here, we report the discovery of husk phytoliths and biomolecular components identifiable solely as common millet from newly excavated storage pits at the Neolithic Cishan site, China, dated to between ca. 10,300 and ca. 8,700 calibrated years before present (cal yr BP). After ca. 8,700 cal yr BP, the grain crops began to contain a small quantity of foxtail millet. Our research reveals that the common millet was the earliest dry farming crop in East Asia, which is probably attributed to its excellent resistance to drought

Ratio of phytolith from rice and broomcorn millet in H92 from the Tanghu site.

<p>Ratio of phytolith from rice and broomcorn millet in H92 from the Tanghu site.</p

Possible rice bulliforms with dissolved surface from the Tanghu site.

<p>Possible rice bulliforms with dissolved surface from the Tanghu site.</p