Why do customers return again and again to brands like Starbucks or Sephora? It’s not just the product — it’s the game.

In this episode of Behavioral Economics in Marketing, we explore how adding game-like elements to loyalty programs taps into our psychological drive for progress, achievement, and rewards. From punch cards and point systems to digital badges, tiers, and challenges, we break down the science behind gamification and why it works so well to build repeat behavior.

You’ll learn:

• The behavioral economics principles behind customer motivation

• Types of loyalty programs and when to use each

• How to integrate gamified features like progress bars, badges, missions, and surprise rewards

• Real-world examples and actionable tips to increase engagement and brand stickiness

Whether you’re launching a new loyalty program or optimizing an existing one, this episode shows you how to turn everyday purchases into a journey customers can’t wait to complete.

Key themes: gamification, loyalty strategy, rewards design, behavioral triggers, customer retention, habit formation.

Behavioral Economics in Marketing Podcast | Understanding how we as humans make decisions is an important part of marketing. Behavioral economics is the study of decision-making and can give keen insight into buyer behavior and help to shape your marketing mix. Marketers can tap into Behavioral Economics to create environments that nudge people towards their products and services, to conduct better market research and analyze their marketing mix.

Sandra Thomas-Comenole | Host | Marketing professional with over 15 years of experience leading marketing and sales teams and a rigorously quantitative Master’s degree in economics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.