Gamification in Branded Sports Apps PDF

Gamify, engage, build loyalty: exploring the benefits of gameful experience for branded sports apps Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Business Management Department, IQS School of Management, Univer...

Gamify, engage, build loyalty: exploring the benefits of gameful experience for branded sports apps Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Business Management Department, IQS School of Management, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain Abstract Purpose – This study aims to examine the impact of the gameful experience on behavioural outcomes. Drawing from stimulus–organism–response theory, it proposes and tests a new model that investigates the relationship between the gameful experience, brand loyalty and intention to use gamified branded applications in the sports context. In addition, it explores the mediating role of customer–brand engagement (CBE) and the moderating role of self-image congruity (SIC). Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 436 active users of sport-related branded gamified applications was used to test the model. Data was collected from online sports forums, brands’ Facebook communities and during sporting events. Findings – Results indicate that the gameful experience positively and directly impacts behavioural intentions but does not directly influence brand loyalty. This relationship becomes partially significant when mediated by CBE. In addition, results show that users with high levels of SIC are more likely to continue using the gamified application, whereas users with low levels are more likely to engage with the brand. Originality/value – This study expands the gamification literature in the sports sector by revealing the importance of the gameful experience in driving loyalty, behavioural intentions and CBE. It proposes a new model that sheds light on the emotional aspect of the interaction between a user and a gamified system and the importance of exploring the effects of moderators, such as SIC, in these relationships. Keywords Gameful experience, Brand engagement, Self-image congruity, Brand loyalty, Intention to use, Mobile apps, Simulation and gaming, PLS modelling Paper type Research paper 1. Introduction with Runtastic or Asics with RunKeeper. However, after initial excitement and interaction with these branded Amidst the evolution of the global acceptance of mobile applications, users often start losing interest and find them applications, the sports and fitness industry is one of the boring. Stragier et al. (2016) reported that 74% of these apps’ fastest-growing areas in the app ecosystem (Grand View new clients stop using them within two weeks, creating Research, 2021). Fitness apps are customarily designed to disengagement and a persistency problem. For these reasons, detect, track and analyse users’ physical activity, providing many companies have started integrating game-like elements them with an overview of their daily routes and customised into their branded apps as a solution for their customers’ low training to help them keep physically fit (Edwards et al., engagement. This strategy, known as gamification, refers to 2016). Presently, the popularisation of these apps is the use of gaming techniques and game-style elements in increasing because of the growing awareness about the non-gaming contexts to make the customer’s experience importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle (Siqi et al., more enjoyable and engaging (Deterding et al., 2011; 2022). In 2021, the sports app market increased by 28% Hamari, 2019). According to the literature, gamification has worldwide, reaching 385 million users (Curry, 2022); it is expected to achieve a market volume of US$8.03bn by 2030 proven efficient in motivating users to take action and (Grand View Research, 2023). complete tasks in different contexts (Behl et al., 2022). The Given the popularity of these apps, many brands, intending increase in gamification has brought various benefits to to stay competitive and ahead in the market, have started developing and launching their own (e.g. Nike’s Nike Run © Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell. Published by Club). Similarly, other brands have started to acquire popular Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative fitness apps and convert them into branded ones, like Adidas Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/1061-0421.htm seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode Received 20 July 2022 Journal of Product & Brand Management Revised 20 December 2022 33/1 (2024) 57–75 18 May 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421] 26 September 2023 [DOI 10.1108/JPBM-07-2022-4070] Accepted 26 September 2023 57  Branded sports apps Journal of Product & Brand Management Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Volume 33 · Number 1 · 2024 · 57–75 companies such as enhanced social, brand and system boundary conditions in the context of gamification and engagement (Hsu, 2023; Xi and Hamari, 2020; Xiao et al., branded apps is still limited. For example, the role of personal 2021) – along with greater customer satisfaction (Torres factors in the connection between the gameful experience and et al., 2022) and loyalty (Hwang and Choi, 2020). marketing outcomes, such as users’ self-image congruity (SIC) However, despite the presumed benefits of gamification, with a specific domain like sports, has been largely ignored. The recent studies reveal conflicting findings regarding its effects on self-congruity theory postulates that self-expressive motivations consumer behaviour. For example, Liu et al. (2017) showed prompt consumers to have more preferences for a product if the that the integration of gamification elements does not fit between an object or activity’s image and their selves is high automatically yield positive results; other studies have reported (Kwak and Kang, 2009). SIC is believed to be a critical factor that gamification leads to negative effects such as addiction, in generating favourable attitudes and purchase intentions intolerance, mood swings (Srivastava et al., 2022), excessive (Kang et al., 2011; Sirgy et al., 2008), engaging consumers in participation (Hammedi et al., 2017), contradicting brand communities (Islam et al., 2018) and causing emotional interactions (Leclercq et al., 2020) and even disengagement experiences while shopping (Han et al., 2019). Besides, in the from the focal task (Leclercq et al., 2018). These particular context of online social networks and technology use, SIC is effects have cast doubt on gamification’s efficiency and considered a potential regulator between users’ experience and impelled scholars to set a supplemental research agenda that attitudinal and behavioural responses (Kourouthanassis et al., goes beyond the study of game elements. This study highlights 2015). Nonetheless, little attention has been paid to how SIC the different research gaps that need to be addressed to respond with a focal activity (e.g. sports) could affect the influence of to the fundamental questions of whether and how companies gamification on users’ reactions and, therefore, determine the can benefit from gamification strategies. failure or success of a gamified app across different types of Firstly, having ignored the perceived customer experience, users. previous studies have predominantly focused on measuring To address these gaps, drawing on the stimulus–organism– gamification on a mechanics level (e.g. tasks, rewards, badges response (SOR) model, the current research seeks to explore and leaderboards) (Harwood and Garry, 2015); on a dynamics how a gamified experience (stimulus) influences brand loyalty level, including immersion, achievement and social interactions and a user’s intention to continue using a branded gamified (Xi and Hamari, 2020); or on a benefits level by exploring the app (response) by enhancing engagement with the brand role of epistemic, social integrative and personal benefits (Jang (organism). Previous research has consistently shown that et al., 2018). In response to this research, recent studies have consumers’ gameful experiences with a technological device or started to emphasise the need to understand the roots of app impacts their desire to keep using it and influences their gamification, its underlying processes and potential drawbacks preferences towards the company developing the related by primarily focusing on what the customer truly experiences technology (Al-Zyoud, 2021; Xi and Hamari, 2020). The (Bekk et al., 2022; Eppmann et al., 2018; Huotari and Hamari, literature also suggests that gamification strategies lead to 2017). These studies stress the importance of understanding increased customer engagement and, more specifically, the transition from the experience delivered by a gamified engagement with a brand (Berger et al., 2018). Therefore, system, known as gameful experience (Huotari and Hamari, this study proposes that a gamified experience can directly 2017), to the formation of an engaging relationship with the determine these outcomes and, indirectly, affect outcomes brand. through CBE. In addition, the model also explores how users’ Secondly, little is known about how such perceived gamified SIC with sports moderates the influence of the gameful experience shapes users’ attitudes and behaviours in the experience on CBE, brand loyalty and intention to use the context of branded applications. Indeed, few studies have branded sports apps. Previous studies suggest that the match- considered users’ perceived experiences as a part of their up effect of consumer self-image and product/brand/activity research, and anecdotal evidence suggests that gamified user image can alter the influence of consumers’ judgements experiences may be an opportunity for brands to engage their and experiences on their preferences and intentions (Kleijnen customers with the company and obtain favourable brand- et al., 2005; Kourouthanassis et al., 2015). related outcomes, such as loyalty, positive attitudes about the brand, electronic word-of-mouth and intentions to use the 2. Literature review and research hypotheses application (Al-Zyoud, 2021; Hamari and Koivisto, 2015b; Mishra and Malhotra, 2021). In addition, to the best of our 2.1 Theoretical framework knowledge, there are no studies and few comprehensive models This study adopts the SOR model (Mehrabian and Russell, that evaluate the simultaneous effect of the gameful experience 1974) as the foundation for building the conceptual on different potential customer outcomes, such as brand relationships between the investigated constructs. Essentially, engagement, loyalty to the branded app or intention to use the the SOR model asserts that the environment – with all of its gamified app in the future. The inclusion of customer–brand different attributes – acts as a stimulus (S) impacting engagement (CBE) and loyalty-related outcomes is pivotal as, individuals’ psychological states and organisms (O) and, on the one hand, brands pay more attention to the design of subsequently, their behaviours and attitudes (R). The gameful their branded apps as a strategy to gain more customers, experience is the “stimulus” that occurs when a user interacts whereas, on the other hand, these apps cannot achieve their full with a branded gamified application (Eppmann et al., 2018; potential unless consumers continue to use them (Fang, 2019). Huotari and Hamari, 2017). Gamification uses different game Thirdly, despite the recent increase in the literature on elements as stimuli to create experiences impacting customer gamification, research aiming to understand the effect of states (e.g. CBE), which, in turn, leads to desired behavioural 58  Branded sports apps Journal of Product & Brand Management Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Volume 33 · Number 1 · 2024 · 57–75 outcomes (Gatautis et al., 2016; Hamari and Koivisto, 2015a). gamified application. According to Eppmann et al. (2018, The “organism” defines the internal states that take place in the p. 100) and Deterding et al. (2011), the gameful experience in a process between the occurrence of the stimuli and customers’ non-game context refers to all of the different “positive behavioural responses. The organism is defined as CBE and emotional and involving qualities of using a gamified represented by three dimensions: cognitive, affective and application”. Therefore, on the one hand, the gameful activation (Hollebeek et al., 2014). The “response” reflects the experience entails different emotional states derived from the individuals’ final behavioural outcomes as a reaction to the interaction with the system, including joy, pleasure, fun or the organism (Islam et al., 2020) and/or to the stimulus (Xi et al., absence of negative emotions. On the other hand, it focuses on 2021). the different involvement elements characteristic of playing Furthermore, this study uses SIC as a moderator to games (Mishra and Malhotra, 2021). Thus, the gameful investigate the extent to which identification with sports experience is the natural consequence of the inclusion of alters the relationship between the gameful experience and gamification elements into a system and reflects the feelings behavioural outcomes. The self-congruity theory (Sirgy, 1985), that users experience as a result of interacting with it. grounded in the theories about the self, refers to the self- Given the heterogeneity of these feelings, the concept of concept as “the totality of the individual’s thoughts and feelings gamified experience is, in essence, multidimensional. To having reference to himself as an object” (Rosenberg, 1979, capture this multidimensionality, Eppmann et al. (2018) p. 7). Thus, the self-concept is considered an overarching idea developed the gameful experience scale (GAMEX). The that explains how individuals perceive themselves on several authors’ conceptualisation and measurement instrument is levels (e.g. physical, emotional, social). Studies in the considered to be a reliable and valid tool for comprehensively consumption context propose that individuals support their capturing the customer’s positive emotional and involvement- self-concept by choosing brands that are highly congruent with related qualities when interacting with a gamified system. their perception of their selves or their self-image (Li et al., According to Eppmann et al., GAMEX is composed of 2022). In this regards, SIC reflects the state in which enjoyment, absorption, creative thinking, activation, absence customers’ images of their self-concept and a brand/ of negative affect and dominance. Enjoyment is the nature of experience’s images match and remain consistent (Li et al., positive emotions that a customer feels when interacting with 2022; Sirgy et al., 2000). In this study, the self-congruity theory an activity. Absorption refers to the feeling of disconnectedness is explored in relation to a focal activity, such as playing sports. from an actual environment and the level of concentration on a focal engagement object (Scholer and Higgins, 2009). The 2.2 Gamification and users’ experience creative thinking dimension focuses on the explorative and Gamification refers to the technical process of incorporating, imaginative features of the gameful experience. The fourth into a system, features that are characteristic of games (Hamari, dimension, activation, is defined as the mental state of being 2019; Huotari and Hamari, 2017). Although games, by alert, attentive and activated, which leads to the individual’s definition, are rule-based systems in which players must assessment of the significance of a stimulus (Bakker et al., achieve different goals to obtain specific outcomes, gamified 2014). Next, absence of negative affect refers to the exclusion systems (e.g. a gamified application) are entities that include of negative emotions and expressions such as sadness, fear, gamification elements that are not necessarily required for the disgust and distress. Finally, dominance is associated with the system to fulfil its basic function (Deterding et al., 2011). Thus, level of control that an individual experiences when interacting gamification is about taking the essence of games and applying with an environment and how autonomous and free the it to real-world objectives and challenges rather than using it individual feels within that environment (Bakker et al., 2014). purely for entertainment (Palmer et al., 2012). For example, Overall, the gameful experience is a complex and branded sports apps typically include gamified elements in their multidimensional psychological construct that has been function that try to motivate users to achieve specific goals. underexplored in the gamification and branding literature. These features can include badges, awards for special The ability to fully understand the consequences of gameful milestones (such as completing a certain number of workouts, experiences can be useful to determine the success of the maintaining training frequency or achieving a distance run), inclusion of gamification elements into branded applications. progress bars, leaderboards, social media sharing options and By focusing on the perceived psychological outcomes so forth. Although the main function of the application is not resulting from a gamified experience rather than analysing its primarily focused on providing enjoyable elements, the inclusion gamification mechanics, researchers can better predict the of all of these functions optimises the user experience as the marketing outcomes derived from the interaction between the application makes it more appealing and enjoyable (Eppmann user and the branded app. et al., 2018). Hence, gamification aims to magnify the interplay between the user and the gamified system by delivering an 2.3 Effects of the gameful experience: brand loyalty and enjoyable experience that lasts beyond the game process and behavioural intentions towards the branded app onto the after-game one (Högberg et al., 2019). The inclusion of gamification elements can exert a positive Gamification has proven advantageous in creating gameful effect on different consumer-related outcomes (Hamari, 2017; experiences that lead to the stimulation of the users’ interests Feng et al., 2020; Xi and Hamari, 2020). For this reason, many towards one specific domain and increase their engagement companies have started to include gamified features in their with the gamified system (Huotari and Hamari, 2017). The mobile apps to improve their users’ experience, gain new concept of gameful experiences emerged in the recent literature customers and reinforce existing customers’ positive attitudes and refers to the psychological effects that result from using a towards the brand (Eisingerich et al., 2019; Xi and Hamari, 59  Branded sports apps Journal of Product & Brand Management Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Volume 33 · Number 1 · 2024 · 57–75 2020). Nevertheless, as suggested by Fang (2019), an app repetitively or advocate the brand (Al-Zyoud, 2021; Jang et al., cannot exert its total influence unless customers continue to use 2018). For example, Kim and Ah Yu (2016) found that the the branded app in the future. Therefore, companies must inclusion of interactive features in branded apps leads to the understand not only how loyalty towards a particular brand can creation of one-of-a-kind customer experiences that reinforce be elicited by gamifying a branded app but ascertain whether loyalty towards the company (Kim and Ah Yu, 2016; Kim the gameful experience determines customers’ continuance et al., 2013). Similarly, in the context of e-commerce, Al-Zyoud intention towards the app. Thus, this study focuses particularly (2021) showed that consumers tend to be more loyal to online on investigating the direct effects of the gameful experience on stores when experiencing the emotional effects of gamification customers’ brand loyalty and their intention to continue using a while interacting with retailer websites. Overall, consumers branded app. By extending the gamification-loyalty link in our tend to engage in approach behaviours with a desire to maintain model, the study also hypothesises that CBE mediates the their relationship with the focal brand when they perceive the influence of gameful experience on brand loyalty and intention experiential benefits that derive from their interactions with a to use the app in the future (Abou-Shouk and Soliman, 2021; gamified application. Therefore, based on past evidence, it is Bitri
an et al., 2021). proposed that: 2.3.1 Effect of gameful experience on brand loyalty towards the H1. Users’ gameful experience with a branded app directly brand and positively influences their loyalty towards the brand. Brand loyalty refers to a customer’s determination to continually repurchase or re-patronise a favoured good/service 2.3.2 Effect of gameful experience on users’ behavioural intentions in the future despite external factors (e.g. situational influences towards the branded app or marketing efforts) that may lead to switching behaviours Behavioural intentions indicate how individuals exert (Oliver, 1999). Brand loyalty, therefore, is the level of themselves in performing a certain behaviour (Azjen, 1991). commitment and attachment customers have for a specific Therefore, these intentions reflect individuals’ likelihood to brand, as well as their intention to buy the focal brand as a engage in a specific act and are acknowledged as precursors to primary choice (Yoo and Donthu, 2001). In the context of the real one (Oliver, 1997). Favourable behavioural intentions branded applications, brand loyalty is considered a specific lead to an enhanced relationship between the individual and a behavioural outcome resulting from the interaction between product/service, which results in a lower tendency to switch to the user and the app that signals a longstanding relationship the competition and an increased willingness to making between the customer and the brand (Fang, 2019). In this additional efforts to maintain this interaction (Kim, 2021). In study, brand loyalty specifically refers to a user’s behavioural terms of technology usage, intention is the individual’s desire to intentions (e.g. rebuy or re-patronise) towards the specific perform, or to not perform, some specified future behaviour brand that owns the fitness/sports application. with such technology (Venkatesh and Davis, 2000); as it As previously noted, the gameful experience embodies the pertains to branded apps, intention refers to the future intent to feelings users have when doing something engaging as a result keep using services through a specific branded app (Fang, of interaction with a gamified system (Domínguez et al., 2013). 2019). In this study, behavioural intentions indicate the future Hence, in the context of branded apps, the gameful experience intention of customers to use the branded gamified mobile refers to the positive emotional and involvement-related application to perform their sports activities in the future. characteristics resulting from the use of a gamified branded It was previously suggested that the inclusion of gamification app. According to the interpersonal relationship theory elements increases the probability that a user will want to use a (Fournier, 1998), in associations between consumers and particular technology in the future (Perez-Aranda et al., 2023; companies, the brand is an active contributing actor in the Tu et al., 2019). In this sense, the use of gamification enhances relationship dyad and plays an important role in reinforcing the services offered by the app. As a result, an emotional such relationships. A positive experience resulting from the experience, also known as the gameful experience, occurs interaction with a brand may lead consumers to repeat these between the user and the app (Huotari and Hamari, 2017), experiences and reciprocate with positive behaviours leading to a higher intention of use in the future. According to benefitting the brand (Ramaseshan and Stein, 2014). the service-dominant logic (SDL) theory (Vargo and Lusch, Therefore, in a gamified context, the gamified experience will 2004), customers should be regarded as active participants that not only affect customers’ relationship judgements but will also supply the values that will best fit their needs, thus co-creating increase brand loyalty because it leads to an experience of the interaction with the service. This process will lead to the pleasant outcomes that reinforces the relationship between the creation of distinct and positive experiences that will affect user and the brand (Hwang and Choi, 2020). Generally, customers’ behavioural intentions (Wang et al., 2014). the literature on gamification acknowledges that the Therefore, SDL focuses on the significance of understanding experience users have while interacting with a branded and providing unique customer experiences through the gamified application can have a positive effect on user judging of customer roles in shaping future behavioural preference towards a brand (Al-Zyoud, 2021; Li and Fang, intentions. In this way, the use of gamification offers a 2020). Specifically, when a user undergoes a positive customisable journey to every user, based on their experience with a branded gamified app, this situation creates backgrounds, needs, habits and acknowledgement of certain an emotional bond leading consumers to maintain their desire facts about them, which makes users’ impression of their to sustain the relationship with the brand. This desire leads experience grow by leaps and bounds (Chen and Pu, 2014; consumers to repurchase the brand’s products/services Hamari and Koivisto, 2015b). As a result, consumers who use 60  Branded sports apps Journal of Product & Brand Management Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Volume 33 · Number 1 · 2024 · 57–75 fitness applications incorporating game elements may have benefits resulting from gamified packages were found to be higher intentions to continue using these apps (Tu et al., 2019). related to consumer engagement with the brand (Syrjälä et al., Therefore, it is expected that a better-gamified experience with 2020). a branded app will enhance behavioural intentions to continue It has also been suggested that when customers are more using such an app in the future, so it is hypothesised that: engaged, they may be more willing to reuse the gamified application in the future and exhibit a higher level of brand H2. Users’ gameful experience with a branded app directly loyalty. On the one hand, past empirical studies suggest that and positively influences their behavioural intentions to CBE is positively related to brand loyalty (Hsu and Chen, use it in the future. 2018; Hwang and Choi, 2020; Jang et al., 2018). When customers engage with a gamified app, interaction with its 2.3.3 Mediating role of customer brand engagement game elements leads to a positive user experience that This study suggests that the influence of a gamified experience significantly increases their brand loyalty. Hassan et al. (2019) can also influence brand loyalty and behavioural intentions by concluded that customers’ social interaction with a service eliciting the level of engagement that the user has with the positively impacts their loyalty to it. Similarly, Abou-Shouk and brand. CBE is defined as the level of a customer’s physical, Soliman (2021) showed that the higher the customer cognitive and emotional state that leads to interaction, vigour, engagement with a gamified application, the stronger their dedication and absorption, which, in turn, affect the brand loyalty and the more they will want to learn about the individual’s purchase intention, brand loyalty and preferences brand. On the other hand, CBE can also increase users’ (Ahn and Back, 2018). With this in mind, Brodie et al. (2011) intentions to continue using gamified technology. In this sense, examined how CBE goes beyond the transactional relationship engaged customers tend to use an application more than non- between customer and brand and signifies more of a engaged users, investing their time, money and energy because motivational and emotional state. Consistent with this view, they think more about the brand and show more of the positive Hollebeek et al. (2014, p. 154) defined CBE as “a consumer’s emotions that lead to this behavioural intention (Qing and positively valanced brand-related cognitive, emotional and Haiying, 2021). A fulfilling user experience when interacting behavioural activity during or related to focal consumer/ with a branded application results in a higher level of brand interaction”. Therefore, the present study uses this engagement, leading to an intention to use it in the future. understanding of CBE and considers it a higher-order In line with this notion, researchers have described the positive construct composed of cognitive processing, affection and influence of engagement on users’ intention to use mobile activation. Firstly, cognitive processing refers to the amount of applications (Tarute et al., 2017). For example, the positive effect brand-related thought a person puts into the interaction with of CBE on the continuance intention of using a branded app was the brand (Hollebeek et al., 2014). That is, cognitive processing found among Chinese users of this technology (Qing and Haiying, reflects the level of interest that the person has for the brand 2021) and users of the Fitbit app (Bitri
an et al., 2021). engaged with (Vivek et al., 2014). Secondly, affection indicates In summary, based on the above reasoning, we propose that how positive the person feels about the interaction with the CBE mediates the relationship between the gameful experience brand (Hollebeek et al., 2014). Therefore, this concept is linked and brand loyalty and between the influence of the gameful to customer feelings towards the brand. Thirdly, activation experience on behavioural intentions to use gamified branded refers to customer effort spent interacting with the brand in apps. Users of a gamified system are more likely to engage with terms of time and energy (Hollebeek et al., 2014). it and do activities that lead to increased loyalty; they also CBE can be one of the main mechanisms with which the generally use the service more actively and persistently (Hamari, gameful experience influences brand loyalty and intention to 2017). Therefore, the following hypotheses are proposed: use the branded app. Previous studies have emphasised the H3. CBE mediates the positive influence of the users’ significance of customer experiences in fostering brand gameful experience with a branded app on their loyalty engagement (Brodie et al., 2011; Huotari and Hamari, 2017). towards the brand. Thus, providing customers with gameful experiences in their interactions with technology through gamified branded apps H4. CBE mediates the positive influence of the users’ can help trigger the journey that leads to brand engagement. gameful experience with a branded app on their behavioural In this sense, the empirical research suggests a positive intentions to use it in the future. relationship between the inclusion of gamification elements and the level of engagement that a customer feels towards the brand (Jang et al., 2018; Leclercq et al., 2018; Xi and Hamari, 2.4 Moderating role of self-image congruity 2019). This relationship occurs because the use of gamification SIC is a process through which individuals reflect on source mechanics facilitates the creation of positive and enjoyable images and match these to their self-concepts (Sirgy, 1985). customer experiences that help boost and maintain the Following this conceptualisation, individuals attempt to display momentum created between an app and its user. For behaviours according to the image they have of themselves instance, Abou-Shouk and Soliman (2021) found a positive (Kourouthanassis et al., 2015). Previous studies have identified relationship between the adoption of gamified applications and SIC as composed of the actual, ideal, social and social ideal self customer engagement in the tourism sector (Abou-Shouk and (Sirgy, 1985). Actual SIC, used in this study in line with the Soliman, 2021). In the sports context, Jang et al. (2018) previous research (Kang et al., 2009), refers to how individuals established that gamifying the customer experience is beneficial see themselves (Sirgy, 1985). In this study, SIC specifically as it leads to higher levels of engagement. Similarly, customer refers to the cognitive match between the individual’s self- 61  Branded sports apps Journal of Product & Brand Management Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Volume 33 · Number 1 · 2024 · 57–75 image and the perceived image of sports as a leisure activity. around sports. Drawing on the above, it is expected that the For example, a person who sees him/herself as a runner (actual effect of the gameful experience on CBE, brand loyalty and self-concept) is more likely to feel motivated to purchase intention to use the gamified app in the future will be stronger for running outfits and use a running application to be perceived as individuals with high SIC with sports than for those with low one. Therefore, SIC may play an influential role in behavioural SIC. In other words, SIC reinforces the positive influence of the intentions such as brand loyalty and intention to use a brand gameful experience on CBE, brand loyalty and continuance (Sirgy, 1985) because the symbolic meaning associated with intentions. Therefore, the following hypotheses are proposed: consumption is often expressed through the use of branded products. H5. SIC moderates the influence of the gameful experience SIC was found to be positively associated with attitudinal and on CBE, such that the higher the level of SIC, the greater behavioural outcomes (Kleijnen et al., 2005; Kourouthanassis the positive effect of the gameful experience on CBE. et al., 2015) and to contribute to the development of positive emotional experiences (Han et al., 2019; Lee et al., 2017). In H6. SIC moderates the influence of the gameful experience addition, besides this direct influence, SIC can affect the on brand loyalty, such that the higher the level of SIC, intensity of relationships between a stimulus and an organism or the greater the positive effect of the gameful experience response (Sirgy et al., 2000). For instance, Kleijnen et al. (2005) on brand loyalty. found that SIC moderated the relationship between H7. SIC moderates the influence of the gameful experience consumption and adoption behaviours in wireless service use on behavioural intentions to use the app, such that the that goes beyond the direct impact of SIC on consumers’ higher the level of SIC, the greater the positive effect of adoption decisions. In line with this finding, Kourouthanassis the gameful experience on continuance intentions. et al. (2015) determined that individuals perceiving their social network services as aligned with their self-image are more likely The hypotheses proposed above are presented in Figure 1. to continue using these sites, regardless of whether or not they are satisfied with the service. Previous studies have also explored 3. Methodology the moderating effect of SIC on customer experiences, brand loyalty and purchase intentions (Gabisch, 2011). Therefore, the 3.1 Research context inclusion of an experiential element like the gameful experience As the research model was tested in the context of the sports in a system can lead to benefits for users who demonstrate higher and fitness industry, branded gamified sports applications were levels of SIC with the experience’s contextual domain (e.g. selected as the target of this study. To select these apps, a sports). We hypothesise that these positive outcomes may filtering process was implemented. Firstly, the apps needed to happen because, for users with high SIC with sports, the be linked to the sports and fitness industry, so, to find them, the experience with the app helps reinforce views about themselves, health and fitness sections of the Google Play Store and Apple which will then be translated into higher levels of engagement Store were searched, resulting in over 50,000 applications. with the brand and more favourable intentions towards the Only applications related to running or exercising were brand and the branded app. As it is both a brand and a product, considered and every other type of mobile health apps was a branded app can be used as a symbol defining the individual excluded. Secondly, the applications had to be branded. This self as it helps the user reinforce his or her habits and lifestyle prerequisite narrowed the list down to apps only developed or Figure 1 Research model 62  Branded sports apps Journal of Product & Brand Management Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Volume 33 · Number 1 · 2024 · 57–75 owned by brands. The third selection criterion was the To ensure that participants were using branded gamified inclusion of gamification elements in the apps to ensure that applications and not confusing them with non-branded the gameful experience occurred when the user interacted with gamified versions such as Strava or Freeletics, the following the system. For this, the presence of game elements, such as control question was included in the survey: Which sports app do avatars, badges or progress bars, was investigated by you use more frequently? E.g. Nike Run Club, Fitbit, Adidas Run by downloading the apps and testing them. The last initiated filter Runtastic, etc. After data screening, incomplete questionnaires, was the number of downloads, resulting in a final selection of questionnaires from participants who responded about a non- branded gamified applications. Following this process, the top branded application and those with answers exhibiting 10 branded gamified applications were included as choices in abnormal response patterns (e.g. inertia) were removed. As a the questionnaire, along with the addition of the option result, a total of 436 answers were considered valid. Kurtosis “others” to not limit answers. Of these apps, three were free of and skewness values ranged from
1.444 to 0.905 and
1.370 charge; users had to create an account, start their workout and to 0.995, respectively, and are both between 13 and
3. monitor their progress. Only one of the proposed apps was a Statistical power analysis using G Power 3.1 software was used premium version; in this app, users had 14 free-trial days, and, to check the minimum sample size required (Faul et al., 2009). after this, they needed to start paying a monthly subscription For an exigent small-effect size of f2 ¼ 0.050, a statistical power fee. The remaining apps were freemium versions in which basic level of 0.950, six predictors and an alpha level of 0.05, the services were provided for free but most advanced features minimum sample size was 218. Thus, the obtained sample size required payment. was acceptable to test the statistical significance of the proposed model. Of the respondents, 35.6% were between 36 and 3.2 Procedure 45 years old, 56.4% were male and 61.3% were employed. The The data was collected using an online survey targeting active majority of respondents used Nike Run Club (35.6%) as the users of gamified running and fitness branded applications, app for their regular physical activity. A more detailed overview regardless of users’ level of expertise. Data collection lasted of the characteristics of respondents appears in Table 1. from May to September 2021; data was gathered from online running forums (e.g. Let’s Run, Runners Forum), Facebook 3.3 Questionnaire design and measurement groups for runners or for those who exercise in general (e.g. The study used a seven-point Likert scale (1 ¼ strongly Copines de Running, Run in Montreal, Walking 4 Fitness, disagree, 7 ¼ strongly agree) based on instruments validated in Women’s Running Community) and specific communities previous studies. The questionnaire, inspired from Xi and found in the selected applications (e.g. Nike Run Club). Hamari’s (2020) design, incorporated different blocks with the Selection of these online communities was made by exploring different latent variables included in the research model. The the number of users beforehand, observing the level of daily first block included questions about participants’ socio- engagement and activity and confirming that comments related demographic status. The second covered questions related to to sports or running apps frequently came up in online the gamified branded app and about its brand. The third conversations. The study aimed to target active online forums focused on users’ history with the app (e.g. length of and communities made up of involved users likely to exhibit a membership, frequency of app usage). The next two blocks good understanding of the usage of branded sports apps. contained questions about users’ the gameful experience with To gather information, group owners or moderators were the app, CBE, brand loyalty, behavioural intentions and brand- contacted to explain the research goals and asked for image congruity items. The items were adapted according to permission to post a link to the survey. In open groups, not the specific branded app and brand that respondents chose in requiring approval, the link was posted directly and requested the second block of the survey, thanks to the functionality of the the members’ participation in the study. Additional survey online survey design. responses were collected from participants in organised Regarding the constructs’ specification, users’ the gameful marathons in Barcelona between August and September 2021. experience was conceptualised as a second-order mode B The choice of Barcelona was deliberate because it is a prime construct composed of six first-order reflective latent variables: location for organised races in Spain. enjoyment (ENJ), creative thinking (CT), dominance (DOM), The questionnaire was developed in English, translated to absence of negative affect (ANA), app activation (APPACT) Spanish and French by native English language academics, and and absorption (AB). To measure this concept, the GAMEX back-translated to English by an independent native English scale proposed by Eppmann et al. (2018) was used by adapting language translator. The back-translation process (Craig and it to the specific context of sports mobile apps. Specifically, ENJ Douglas, 2000) ensured that all items were equivalent across was measured with three from the six original items reflecting the three languages. Permutation analysis following the the emotional positive valence derived from user’s interaction Measurement Invariance Assessment in Composites routine with the app (e.g. “Using [app] is fun”). Activation was (Henseler et al., 2016) revealed no differences in the formation measured by four items and captured users’ level of arousal and of the composites across groups. The questionnaire was initially excitement while using the app (e.g. “While using [app] to piloted with a group of 30 international and national members practice sports, I feel activated”). ANA included three reversed of the Midnight Runners’ community in Barcelona, which is items measuring users’ potential negative affective states made up of runners and athletes of varying socio-demographic derived from GAMEX (e.g. “While using [app] to practice profiles. After collecting the feedback, minor changes were sports, I feel upset”). The AB dimension covered five of the six made to the wording of several questions. A copy of the original items that included aspects such as loss of self- questionnaire is provided in Appendix. consciousness, attentive concentration or distorted sense of 63  Branded sports apps Journal of Product & Brand Management Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Volume 33 · Number 1 · 2024 · 57–75 Table 1 Sample description measured with four items covering aspects such as users’ feelings of exploration or creativity while interacting with the Variable % app (e.g. “While using [app] to practice sports, I feel Gender creative”). Two-tailed confirmatory tetrad analysis Male 56.4 (Gudergan et al., 2008) with 8,000 subsamples revealed that, Female 38.6 from the potential nine tetrads, in four of them, the Non-binary/others 5 Bonferroni-adjusted confidence interval did not result in a value of zero. This suggests that the reflective measurement Experience with the app model should not be substantiated for GAMEX. Less than 3 months 8.9 Following Hollebeek et al. (2014), CBE was measured as a 3–6 months 6.9 second-order mode B construct formed by the cognitive 6–12 months 21.9 processing, activation and affection dimensions. Specifically, >12 months 62.3 cognitive processing included three items covering users’ Level of education level of cognitive load and interest stimulation when using the None 2 brand (e.g. “Using [brand’s] products gets me to think about Primary school 1 [brand]”). The activation element, measured with three Secondary school 8.9 items, captured individuals’ level of usage of the brand (e.g. Professional training 13.8 “I spend a lot of time using [brand’s] products compared to Bachelor degree 35.7 other brands”). The affection factor, measured with four Master or PhD. degree 38.6 items, showed users’ affective evaluations of brand usage (e.g. “I feel good when I use [brand’s] products”). These first- Branded application order dimensions were measured in Mode A. Brand loyalty Nike Run Club 35.6 was measured using four items adapted from Chaudhuri and Adidas running 9.9 Holbrook (2001) and Hsieh et al. (2021). The scale included RunKeeper by Asics 5 users’ self-evaluations about their purchase intentions, Fitbit 6 affection towards the brand and willingness to recommend it Under Armour Map my run 11 (e.g. “I will not buy other brands if [brand] is available at the Nike training club 6 market”). The behavioural intention to use the application Adidas training by Runtastic 4 was measured with four items using Chiu and Cho’s (2020) Asics studio 2 scale. This construct reflected individuals’ future intentions Garmin Connect 11.4 to keep using and interacting with the branded app (e.g. “I Others 9.1 will use [app] on a regular basis in the future”). Finally, to Age measure the SIC moderator, three items were adopted from 18–24 5 Kourouthanassis et al. (2015) and Kang et al. (2009). These 25–35 13.8 items captured individuals’ perceptions on how the focal 36–45 35.6 activity – practicing sports – helped them to build and portray 46–55 34.6 their self-images (e.g. “Practicing sports helps reflect who I 56–66 10 am”). As control variables, the model included age, education and frequency of use of the gamified sports app as Occupation potential predictors of the endogenous variables. Employed 61.3 Self-employed 12.9 3.4 Common method bias assessment Student 20.8 Because the data originated from a one-time survey, common Unemployed 2 method bias was assessed to prevent this issue (Podsakoff et al., Retired 3 2003). Firstly, all participants were informed that participation Frequency of usage in the study was voluntary and that the anonymity and Once per week 9.9 confidentiality of the data were assured. Secondly, to avoid Twice per week 25.7 participant inference with the goal and causality of the model Three times per week 40.6 and its relationships, the order of the dependent and Four times per week 8.8 independent variables was presented randomly. Thirdly, the Five times per week 7 participants were able to add their email addresses at the end of More than five times per week 8 the survey to participate in a raffle draw. The prize was a pair of shoes from the winner’s favourite brand; only participants with Source: Created by authors valid answers could participate in the raffle. Fourthly, a full collinearity test based on variance inflation factors (VIFs) was time (e.g. “While using [app], I lose track of time”). The used to discard any possible bias. The analysis showed that all DOM dimension, composed of four items, captured users’ VIF values ranged from 1.074 to 2.104, and all values were feelings about whether they felt influential and autonomous lower than 3.3, which indicates the absence of common while using the app (e.g. “While using [app] to practice method bias in this study (Kock, 2015). Finally, a sports, I feel influential”). Finally, the CT element was complementary Harman’s single-factor test was performed. 64  Branded sports apps Journal of Product & Brand Management Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Volume 33 · Number 1 · 2024 · 57–75 The results of this procedure confirmed that common method recommendations, their outer loadings were assessed and were bias was not present in the study as the fit of the model, in found to exceed the recommended threshold of 0.50, except for which all individual indicators loaded on assigned latent ANA, which was low, with a value of 0.390 (Table 2). The variables, was larger than that of the competitive models that significance of ANA’s outer loading was then assessed. A incorporated all items into a unique construct. complementary bootstrapping analysis with 8,000 subsamples was conducted to confirm its significance (p < 0.001) (Hair 4. Results et al., 2017) (Table 2). Therefore, these dimensions were This study applied the partial least squares structural equation retained to preserve content validity and because they were not modelling (PLS-SEM) technique with SmartPLS 3.0 software identified as problematic indicators causing collinearity issues. to test the proposed hypotheses. PLS-SEM was chosen for this study for the following reasons: Firstly, the nature of the 4.2 Structural model assessment latent variables is compatible with the composite constructs, After analysing the measurement model, the statistical especially multidimensional ones that use linear combinations significance of the standardised paths was examined with a of manifest variables as proxies of the conceptual variables. bootstrapping procedure of 8,000 subsamples. The model Secondly, our research model incorporated a combination of explained 49.8% of the variation of the users’ CBE, 46.5% of both first- and second-order constructs and direct, indirect and the variation of the users’ intention to use the branded gamified moderating relationships. Therefore, PLS-SEM is the proper app in the future and 67.7% of the variation of the users’ loyalty tool to manage these numerous structural model relationships towards the brand that owned the gamified app (Table 4). (Manley et al., 2021). Thirdly, PLS-SEM is more appropriate Furthermore, all Q2 values for all endogenous constructs were for conceptual models that include simultaneous composites with formative (Mode B) and reflective (Mode A) indicators, positive, verifying the predictive accuracy of the model (Hair which is the case in this study (Hair et al., 2011). et al., 2019). The estimated model had an acceptable fit as the standardised root mean square residual (SRMR) was 0.050 4.1 Measurement model assessment (Henseler et al., 2014). Regarding the significance of the As previously noted, users’ gameful experience and CBE were control variables, the education level increased behavioural conceived as second-order constructs. A two-stage approach intentions (b ¼ 0.098, t ¼ 2.407) but decreased CBE was applied to estimate these multidimensional constructs (b ¼
0.097, t ¼ 2.414). Frequency of usage was positively and (Wetzels et al., 2009). In the preliminary first-order estimation significantly connected to CBE (b ¼ 0.083, t ¼ 2.065), loyalty stage, all first-order latent variables were measured as reflective (b ¼ 0.074, t ¼ 2.088) and behavioural intentions (b ¼ 0.101, Mode A, and one item was removed from the APPACT t ¼ 2.250), whereas age did not have a significant influence on dimension of the GAMEX scale because of its low individual these variables. The results of the structural model are reliability. In the second stage, the second-order final summarised and presented in Table 4. measurement model was estimated after obtaining the latent variable scores for the first-order constructs. Tables 2 and 3 4.2.1 Hypotheses testing: direct effects show the results of the measurement model assessment. All the Contrary to our original expectations, the results revealed that constructs were internally consistent, as their individual and the gameful experience had a positive but insignificant direct composite reliability estimates exceeded the recommended impact on the brand loyalty variable (LOY) (b ¼ 0.053, threshold of 0.70 and the acceptable threshold of 0.60 (Hair t ¼ 0.993), leading to a rejection of H1. However, the gameful et al., 2022) (Table 2). The constructs’ average variance experience positively and significantly impacted users’ intentions extracted (AVE) values were above the critical threshold of to use the branded app (INT) (b ¼ 0.275, t ¼ 3.859), providing 0.50. Therefore, the constructs presented convergent validity empirical support for H2. (Hair et al., 2019) (Table 2). Moreover, the heterotrait- monotrait (HTMT) ratios were analysed to verify the 4.2.2 Hypotheses testing: the mediating role of customer brand constructs’ discriminant validity. Results confirmed the engagement existence of discriminant validity among all the constructs as Firstly, mediation analysis was performed to estimate the the HTMT ratios were below the threshold of 0.85 (Henseler et al., 2015) (Table 3). relationship between GAMEX and LOY. The results indicated Regarding the Mode B multidimensional constructs, the a mediating role of CBE between GAMEX and LOY (b ¼ VIFs ranged from 1.360 to 3.817 (Table 2). This suggests that 0.275; t-value ¼ 5.546). As the direct effect of GAMEX on the formative indicators for the second-order constructs do not LOY was not significant (b ¼ 0.053; t-value ¼ 0.993), this present critical levels of multicollinearity (Hair et al., 2011). In result showed that CBE fully mediates the influence of users’ addition, external validity was analysed by assessing the gamified experience on LOY. Secondly, regarding the indicators’ weights. Indicators have external validity when they mediated relationship between gamified experience and have statistically significant weight. If an indicator’s weight is behavioural intentions through CBE, estimations also revealed not significant, but the corresponding loading is high (i.e. above that the indirect effect is positive and significant (b ¼ 0.056; 0.50), the indicator has external validity and should be retained t-value ¼ 1.985). In this sense, the direct effect of GAMEX on (Hair et al., 2017). In this study, the DOM, CT and ANA INT was still significant, which suggests that CBE partially dimensions of the gameful experience construct presented mediated the relationship between GAMEX and INT. These non-significant weights. Following Hair et al. (2017) results led us to accept both H3 and H4. 65  Branded sports apps Journal of Product & Brand Management Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Volume 33 · Number 1 · 2024 · 57–75 Table 2 Measurement model Construct/dimension/indicator Outer loadings Outer weights VIF CR AVE Gameful experience (MC) Enjoyment (ENJ) 0.959 0.568 3.512 0.955 0.876 ENJ1 0.947 0.366 – ENJ2 0.924 0.343 ENJ3 0.937 0.359 App activation (APPACT) 0.899 0.241 3.817 0.846 0.620 APPACT1 0.873 0.358 – APPACT3 0.905 0.369 APPACT4 0.930 0.361 Creative thinking (CT) 0.826 0.035 3.222 0.941 0.799 CT1 0.876 0.250 – CT2 0.916 0.290 CT3 0.875 0.276 CT4 0.906 0.302 Absence of negative affect (ANA) 0.340 0.059 1.360 0.959 0.885 ANA1 0.952 0.366 – ANA2 0.934 0.383 ANA3 0.937 0.313 Absorption (AB) 0.754 0.194 2.250 0.906 0.662 AB1 0.672 0.248 – AB2 0.862 0.232 AB3 0.862 0.239 AB4 0.867 0.263 AB5 0.787 0.253 Dominance (DOM) 0.580 0.075 1.966 0.893 0.678 DOM1 0.726 0.468 – DOM2 0.831 0.239 DOM3 0.883 0.290 DOM4 0.845 0.243 Customer brand engagement (MC) Cognitive processing (CP) 0.844 0.292 2.081 0.937 0.832 CP1 0.921 0.354 – CP2 0.904 0.334 CP3 0.911 0.408 Brand activation (ACT) 0.878 0.308 2.459 0.963 0.896 ACT1 0.937 0.341 – ACT2 0.951 0.348 ACT3 0.951 0.367 Affection (AFF) 0.934 0.517 2.384 0.963 0.868 AFF1 0.941 0.278 – AFF2 0.916 0.243 AFF3 0.945 0.274 AFF4 0.924 0.278 Brand loyalty (LOY) – 0.935 0.782 LOY1 0.914 0.296 – LOY2 0.894 0.303 LOY3 0.830 0.240 LOY4 0.896 0.290 (continued) 66  Branded sports apps Journal of Product & Brand Management Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Volume 33 · Number 1 · 2024 · 57–75 Table 2 Construct/dimension/indicator Outer loadings Outer weights VIF CR AVE Intention to use (INT) – 0.966 0.876 INT1 0.925 0.258 – INT2 0.947 0.307 INT3 0.937 0.248 INT4 0.935 0.255 Self-image congruity (SIC) – 0.967 0.907 SIC1 0.939 0.341 – SIC2 0.957 0.353 SIC3 0.961 0.356 Notes: MC ¼ multidimensional construct; VIF ¼ variance inflation factor; CR ¼ composite reliability; AVE ¼ average variance extracted Source: Created by authors Table 3 Discriminant validity analysis: heterotrait-monotrait ratios 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1. AB 2. APPACT 0.731 3. ACT 0.476 0.532 4. AFF 0.478 0.616 0.763 5. ANA 0.303 0.431 0.271 0.297 6. CP 0.594 0.548 0.729 0.713 0.234 7. CT 0.729 0.778 0.470 0.547 0.363 0.491 8. DOM 0.571 0.476 0.294 0.331 0.406 0.364 0.493 9. ENJ 0.676 0.850 0.517 0.600 0.295 0.503 0.801 0.475 10. INT 0.397 0.679 0.416 0.466 0.088 0.406 0.471 0.281 0.641 11. LOY 0.524 0.614 0.806 0.777 0.235 0.753 0.529 0.356 0.574 0.535 12. SIC 0.267 0.381 0.288 0.283 0.109 0.309 0.266 0.205 0.454 0.612 0.594 Note: See acronyms in Table 2 Source: Created by authors Table 4 Structural model results Structural relationship b t-value p-value Hypothesis testing H1: Gameful experience fi LOY 0.053 0.993 0.160 Rejected H2: Gameful experience fi INT 0.275 3.859 0.000 Accepted H3: Gameful experience fi CBE fi LOY 0.275 5.546 0.000 Accepted H4: Gameful experience fi CBE fi INT 0.056 1.985 0.024 Accepted H5: SIC* Gameful experience fi CBE
0.137 4.486 0.000 Rejected H6: SIC* Gameful experience fi LOY 0.024 1.033 0.151 Rejected H7: SIC* Gameful experience fi INT 0.130 4.025 0.000 Accepted R2 (CBE) 5 0.498; R2 (INT) 5 0.465; R2 (LOY) 5 0.677 Q2 (CBE) 5 0.369; Q2 (INT) 5 0.391; Q2 (LOY) 5 0.518 Notes: Brand loyalty (LOY), intention to use (INT), customer-brand engagement (CBE), self-image congruity (SIC).  p < 0.05,  p < 0.01. Analysis was run at 5% significance level Source: Created by authors 4.2.3 Hypotheses testing: the moderating role of self-image GAMEX on CBE (b ¼
0,137; t-value ¼ 4.486) was negative congruity and significant. Thus, GAMEX had a stronger impact on CBE A two-stage approach was used to calculate the moderating for users with low levels of SIC; therefore, H5 is rejected. In effects of SIC (Henseler and Chin, 2010). Contrary to our addition, no significant interaction was found between SIC and expectations, results showed that the interaction of SIC and GAMEX in explaining LOY (b ¼ 0.024; t-value ¼ 1.033). This 67  Branded sports apps Journal of Product & Brand Management Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Volume 33 · Number 1 · 2024 · 57–75 result led us to reject H6. However, the effect of GAMEX on the existing body of technology literature by providing further INT was positively moderated by SIC. The interaction showed evidence of the significant impact of education levels on a positive and significant path (b ¼ 0.130; t-value ¼ 4.025). technology adoption and usage. The findings demonstrate that This suggests that the effect of GAMEX on behavioural higher education levels are associated with increased behavioural intentions increased for users who present higher levels of SIC; intentions, indicating that individuals with higher education are therefore, H7 is accepted. more likely to engage with the branded gamified app and continue using it. This finding aligns with previous literature 4.2.4 Post hoc analysis: estimation of an alternative complementary (Billon et al., 2021; Riddell and Song, 2017). model Secondly, a critical contribution of this study lies in the non- To further explore the model’s implications, post hoc analysis significant direct influence of the gameful experience on brand of an alternative complementary model was performed. This loyalty, challenging initial expectations. The findings suggest model included the dimensions of GAMEX as first-order that users require more than a successful and enjoyable constructs and retained CBE as a second-order construct. interaction with the gamified system to develop loyalty towards Therefore, the individual effects of the GAMEX dimensions on the brand. As indicated in prior research, the use of game CBE, LOY and INT could be further explored. Consistent mechanics helps deliver a customisable journey to users (Tu with the results of the baseline model, only APPACT et al., 2019), which may increase their continuance intentions significantly influenced LOY at p < 0.10 (b ¼ 0.104; p < 0.10). but does not necessarily foster brand loyalty. Although it was ANA (b ¼ 0.162; p < 0.01) and particularly ENJ directly, expected that the gameful experience would have a positive positively and significantly increased INT (b ¼ 0.456; influence on brand loyalty (Al-Zyoud, 2021), this finding could p < 0.01). In addition, the estimation of the specific indirect also imply that consumers in the fitness and sports sector may effect showed that CBE mediated the influence of AB expect additional game elements integrated into their journey (b ¼ 0.114; p < 0.05), DOM (b ¼ 0.061; p < 0.10), ANA to establish loyalty, rather than solely relying on the presence of (b ¼ 0.074; p < 0.05) and ENJ (b ¼ 0.130; p < 0.05) on LOY an enjoyable gamified experience. (b ¼ 0.012, p < 0.5). In predicting INT, CBE significantly Furthermore, a post hoc analysis reveals that only the mediated the influence of ANA (b ¼ 0.032; p < 0.05), ENJ APPACT dimension of the GAMEX scale demonstrates a (b ¼ 0.038; p < 0.05) and AB (b ¼ 0.034; p < 0.05). significant direct influence on brand loyalty. This finding can Regarding the moderating effects, the estimations revealed be attributed to the co-creative nature of the gameful that the interactive effect between SIC and APPACT on CBE experience (Huotari and Hamari, 2017). When a gamified was negative and significant (b ¼
0.198; p < 0.05) and that branded application offers users an intuitive journey with the interactive effect of SIC and AB on INT was positive and personalised communication, enabling them to schedule, track significant (b ¼ 0.149; p < 0.01). These results are in line with activities and set goals, it fosters a sense of participation in those found in the baseline model but were able to further creating the experience and a sensation of activation within the specify which specific elements of GAMEX were moderated by branded app. This emotional connection enhances the relation SIC. between the user and the brand, and in turn, their loyalty to it. Overall, the estimation of this complementary model Therefore, aspects such as value co-creation resulting from the reinforces the findings of the baseline model and provides experience with branded applications positively influence additional insights into which particular dimensions of brand loyalty (Fang, 2019) and contribute to its enhancement GAMEX determine the dependent variables. However, the (Adhikari and Panda, 2019). interpretation should be taken with caution as the fit of Thirdly, another key contribution of this study is the direct the model is close to the critical suggested thresholds, given the impact of users’ gameful experiences with a branded large number of constructs and relationships in the model application on their intentions to continue using it in the future. (SRMR ¼ 0.083). Consistent with previous research (Bitri
an et al., 2021; Tu et al., 2019), the gameful experience enhances users’ 5. Discussion willingness to engage with the system on a regular basis. 5.1 Theoretical implications Interestingly, the post hoc analyses highlight the crucial role of This study contributes to a better understanding of the the ENJ and ANA dimensions in predicting continuance gamification and technology literature by proposing a novel intentions. Specifically, enjoyment represents the fun, playful model that explores the impact of gamification on loyalty in the and entertaining interactions users have with the app, which are context of branded applications. The findings reveal a positive essential for bringing them back to the app. When users chain of connection between gamification, CBE, brand loyalty experience positive emotions while interacting with the app, it and intentions to use the gamified app. Furthermore, the generates a sense of delight and reduces anxiety and concern, impact of these relationships appears to be influenced by users’ significantly influencing their acceptance and adoption of the levels of SIC related to the focal activity of sports. The results branded app (Faqih, 2022; Hsieh et al., 2021). Similarly, when yield significant theoretical insights. users do not encounter negative emotions during their Firstly, this study draws on the SOR model and validates the interactions, they are more inclined to continue using the app in role of the gameful experience as an external stimulus that the future. Therefore, these two emotional dimensions of the influences customer brand loyalty and behavioural intentions to gameful experience serve as critical and direct predictors of use the app (response) through CBE (organism). As a result, this users’ behavioural intentions. research extends the applicability of the SOR model to the fitness Fourthly, a significant contribution of this study is the and sports-gamified apps. In addition, the study contributes to identification of CBE as a key mediator in the relationships 68  Branded sports apps Journal of Product & Brand Management Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell Volume 33 · Number 1 · 2024 · 57–75 between the gameful experience and user responses in branded application in the future is stronger for individuals with high gamified apps. This finding aligns with previous research in SIC, particularly in terms of the absorption dimension of the various application contexts, such as online banking (Islam branded app. For these users, and considering what sports et al., 2020), brand communities (Duong et al., 2020; Islam represent to them, the gamification elements are more easily and Rahman, 2017) and travel (Ali et al., 2021). The study accepted as it allows them to efficiently achieve their personal demonstrates that CBE fully mediates the relationship between goals and reinforce their image (Lim et al., 2016). Thus, the gameful experience and brand loyalty and partially gamification will keep these users more motivated to continue mediates the relationship between the gameful experience and their exercise regimen and, therefore, this drive reinforces their behavioural intentions. These results reinforce the notion that self-concept. Individuals with high SIC are interested in sports gamification in mobile applications plays a crucial role in because they help them maintain their image and character and engaging users with the brand (Abou-Shouk and Soliman, one way of showcasing this to others is by continually using 2021; Bitri
an et al., 2021; Xi and Hamari, 2020). The use of their branded gamified application. This result is also in line gamified features can trigger individuals’ affective, cognitive with recent studies that found that the inclusion of gamification and behavioural engagement with the brand, fostering stronger features, focused on fostering utilitarian values, can exert a brand ties and motivating continued app usage. On the one stronger influence on consumer responses than social or hand, total mediation on brand loyalty, as initially suggested, emotional elements in the context of branded apps (Torres indicates that a gamified experience requires that customers be et al., 2022). engaged with the brand to eventually create brand loyalty. On the other hand, partial mediation suggests that beyond its direct 5.2 Managerial implications effect, CBE explains how the gamified experience influences This study carries significant implications for app designers and users’ behavioural intention. Furthermore, the analysis of the marketing managers seeking to implement gamification first-order constructs reveals that aspects such as AB, ANA and strategies in branded apps. Firstly, this research highlights the DOM influence CBE, which, in turn, drives brand loyalty. At importance of shifting the focus from thinking only about the same time, AB, ANA and ENJ contribute to enhancing the gamification in terms of game elements to focusing more on the intention to use the branded app in the future through CBE. significance of the experience-centred approach. In this sense, The aspect of dominance allows users to exert active control marketers should recognise the value of co-creating gameful and autonomy when using the branded application (Hsieh experiences with their customers, involving them in the design et al., 2021). This enables them to take full ownership of their process and encouraging their contributions to the development interactions with the app and brand-related content. This sense of interactions and touchpoints. By establishing a partnership of ownership, in turn, enhances users’ level of engagement with with customers throughout the design phase, rather than solely the brand, fostering a closer connection and leading to higher involving them in testing, marketers can gain novel perspectives levels of brand loyalty and a stronger intention to use the app in and valuable feedback. Consequently, this collaborative the future. In addition, the immersive nature of the gameful approach will not only save time and money for managers before experience helps users escape reality and minimise distractions, product launch but it will also ensure the ultimate success of the keeping their attention and engagement focused on the app gameful experience by making it customer-centred. (Ryan et al., 2006). This, combined with the absence of Secondly, this study provides valuable insights for managers negative emotions, empowers users and cultivates a higher level seeking to understand how gamification can boost loyalty of brand engagement, leading to more loyalty. towards their brands in the sports and fitness sectors and Fifthly, this study contributes to the gamification and encourage continuous use of their branded gamified apps in the branding literature by expanding the scope of the SOR model future. Although many organisations have successfully used to include the role of SIC. Surprisingly, the results reveal that gamification to enhance customer engagement, retention the gameful experience leads to weaker engagement for users and loyalty (Eisingerich et al., 2019), other firms have struggled with high levels of SIC in sports. This could be attributed to the and failed to deliver effective gameful experiences. To address fact that individuals with low SIC become more interested in this challenge, organisations require deeper insights into the sports and curious about the brand during a successful gameful factors that drive customer engagement with gamified systems. experience. This means that when users understand how the Therefore, the findings of this study serve as a comprehensive brand fits their image, and how it reflects who they are, they are guide for gamification and gameful experience designers, more likely to engage with it (Chen and Pu, 2014). In addition, shedding light on the key determinants of user behaviours and we speculate that to users for whom sports do not play a crucial attitudes in the sports and fitness industry. role in forming their self-image, elements like the thrill of With respect to this, the significant finding that the gameful discovering a new passion for the first time keep them active experience did not have a direct effect on brand loyalty, except and engaged in a more pronounced way than for those who for its activation dimension that was found to be significant, already deeply care about sports and consider them part of their may be of particular interest to marketers is with only activation lives. Moreover, contrary to our expectations, the moderating demonstrating significance. Therefore, gamified applications effect of SIC on the gameful experience and brand loyalty was should be designed to stimulate users’ activation and found to be non-significant. This result suggests that brand excitement during the app interactions. This can be achieved loyalty requires more than just interactions with gameful by incorporating gamification elements that provide users with experiences, whether the users identify with sports or not! a sense of progress (e.g. progress bars, points, badges) and offer Finally, the study demonstrates that the impact of the gameful brand-related rewards upon reaching specific milestones or experience on the intention to use a gami?