The Brainy Business Podcast - Episode 555

“Press Play: The Power of Gaming in Business”

Host: Melina Palmer
Guest: Bastian Bergman (Co-founder & COO, Solsten, Author of Press Play: Why Every Company Needs a Gaming Strategy)
Release Date: December 11, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Melina Palmer discusses with Bastian Bergman how the principles and psychology of play, gaming, and game design can revolutionize engagement strategies for businesses of all types—not just those in the “gamer” demographic. The conversation distinguishes between gamification and true gaming, highlights real-world examples from brands (Chipotle, Burberry, Adidas), and offers actionable guidance on integrating gaming strategies into business with authenticity and effectiveness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Human Psychology Behind Play and Gaming

• The essence of game design:
  Game creators deliberately engineer engagement, curiosity, immersion, challenge, and reward—unlike many brands that hope for engagement. (A, 00:38)

• Misconceptions about “gamers”:
  Gaming is not just for stereotypical young males—over 3.5 billion people engage with video games daily, spanning every demographic. (B, 07:29)

  • Quote:

    “At this point close to three and a half billion people play video games almost daily... That’s more than the populations of China and India combined.”
    — Bastian Bergman (B, 07:29)

• Games as a fundamental human behavior:
  Play is intrinsic to learning and engagement, from childhood into adulthood. Video games are digital manifestations of this drive. (B, 04:14)

2. Authenticity & Audience Understanding

• Beyond demographics:
  Targeting based on superficial data like age/gender misses true motivation. True engagement comes from understanding core motivations, values, and habits. (B, 11:04)

  • Quote:

    “You have to move beyond...superficial data...to get to people’s underlying drivers, their needs, their motivations.”
    — Bastian Bergman (B, 11:04)

• Brand authenticity:
  Effective gaming strategies must reflect the true identity of the brand, not just mimic what’s trending or works for others (e.g., New York Times’ word games align with their puzzle heritage). (B, 11:04)

3. Real-World Examples

Chipotle – Meeting Youth Where They Are

• Initial approach: Sponsored top Fortnite streamers to engage with younger audiences in their own environment.
• Progression: Developed unique in-game experiences on Roblox, like the “Burrito Maze” tied to Chipotle’s real-world Halloween “Boorito” events, blending digital and physical engagement.
• Results: Massive engagement leading to a top-10 digital sales day and one of the best days for new rewards program enrollments. (B, 17:08)
  • Quote:

    “That event, that gaming activation...led to a top 10 digital sales day in the history of the company...It took minutes [to make the investment back].”
    — Bastian Bergman (B, 17:08)

Burberry – High Fashion Goes Digital

• Strategy: Integrated with blockchain game "Blankos" and sold 750 limited-edition avatars at $300 each, selling out in 22 seconds (~$225,000 revenue).
• Purpose: Engaged new, younger, digitally-native audiences and future customers—expanding reach beyond traditional retail. (B, 24:32)
  • Quote:

    “All 750 of them sold out in 22 seconds...there’s real money in these environments.”
    — Bastian Bergman (B, 24:48)

Adidas – Virtual-Physical Convergence

• Innovation: Established an entire virtual goods division that is highly profitable; leverages the stat that 86% of consumers who buy a virtual item will purchase the physical version. (B, 28:16)
  • Quote:

    “You have the ability to effectively monetize a consumer twice because...a lot of people in those virtual environments, it’s a second place for them. It's the virtual representation [of themselves].”
    — Bastian Bergman (B, 28:16)

4. Actionable Framework for Companies

• Four Strategic Paths to Enter Gaming: (B, 32:16)

  1. Integrate with Existing Games: Product placement, themed events, sponsor streamers, etc.
     • e.g., Haircare brand Schwarzkopf’s (less optimal) partnership with Final Fantasy XIV.
  2. Build Your Own Game: Fully shape the experience around your brand (higher lift).
  3. Web3/Blockchain Layer: Add blockchain for ownership scarcity, long-term engagement.
     • e.g., Burberry's Blankos integration.
  4. Game-ify Your Own Product: True “gamification” done right, as with Peloton and Duolingo’s app experiences.

• Organizational Best Practices:

  • Make gaming strategy a cross-functional, not just a marketing, initiative. Involve product, insights, legal, and finance from the start. (B, 36:59)
  • Recruit “the willing and the curious”—people passionate about gaming will bring valuable insights.
  • Partner with external experts/consultants to accelerate learning and reduce risk.

5. Avoiding Pitfalls

• Fit is critical: A brand attempting to “drop in” to a gaming community without understanding its culture risks alienating its audience. Success depends on authenticity, thoughtful integration, and internal advocates who understand the specific game space. (A, 38:57)

• Don’t start with tech or tactics:
  Begin by defining your business objectives, customer needs, and motivations—then use games as one tool in a broader engagement strategy. (B, 43:22)

  • Quote:

    “Don’t start this conversation internally with ‘we need a gaming strategy’...Start with ‘what are our business objectives, who’s our consumer?’”
    — Bastian Bergman (B, 43:22)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Immersion vs. Doomscrolling:

  “Flicking up your phone screen is not the same level of immersion...Henry Cavill almost missed his call from the director that he got cast as Superman because he was playing World of Warcraft.”
  — Bastian Bergman (B, 04:14)

• Wordle and Habit Formation:

  “People will stay in bed and not get up to go brush their teeth...But oh no, it’s 11:55 and I didn’t play Wordle...”
  — Melina Palmer (A, 09:22)

• Virtual-to-Physical Conversion:

  “It’s 86%. People that have purchased a virtual item, like in a gaming environment, 86% go on to buy the corresponding physical item.”
  — Bastian Bergman (B, 28:16)

• On Building a Cross-Functional Team:

  “Don’t go with your knee-jerk reaction and make this a marketing initiative...get people from product, marketing, insights, legal, finance...so everyone has skin in the game.”
  — Bastian Bergman (B, 36:59)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:38: Melina sets up the topic—the psychology of play and games in brands.
• 04:14: Bastian explains what makes gaming such a compelling form of engagement.
• 07:29: Demystifying who is a “gamer” and why gaming is mainstream.
• 11:04 – 14:12: Deep dive on audience understanding and authenticity in brand gaming strategies (with NYT example).
• 17:08 – 22:18: Detailed Chipotle case study and business impact.
• 24:32 – 28:16: High fashion and luxury in gaming—Burberry and Adidas case studies.
• 32:16 – 36:59: Four strategic pathways for companies to engage with gaming.
• 36:59 – 38:38: Organizational setup—how to structure teams and avoid silos.
• 43:22: How to start the strategic conversation internally (focus on objectives and audience.)
• 46:01 – 47:00: Where to find Bastian, more resources, and closing remarks.

Final Takeaways

• A gaming strategy isn’t about chasing a gamer stereotype. It’s about designing brain-friendly, playful, authentic experiences that tap into deep human motivations.
• Success is rooted in brand authenticity, deep audience understanding, and cultural fit, not gimmicks or surface-level “gamification.”
• Real-life case studies show gaming engagement can drive measurable revenue, loyalty, and even open profitable new business lines.
• Every business—B2C, B2B, luxury, FMCG, even law firms—may find unique value in play-based, game-inspired engagement.

Links & Resources:

• Press Play book: pressplaystrategy.com
• Bastian Bergman: LinkedIn, Technically Entertaining (Substack, Instagram)
• The Brainy Business: thebrainybusiness.com/555

For listeners: If you’re rethinking your engagement, business model, or brand strategy, this episode illustrates why “pressing play” could be your competitive advantage—and that it requires more than points, badges, or app confetti. Play is powerful business!