The Pokémonisation of the first moment of truth

Abstract

The gamification of retail, helped essentially by the development of augmented reality, is hailed today as being the reverser of declining retail sales trends. With the rapid expansion and adoption of the Pokémon Go augmented reality game, there is a dire need to understand the true implications of this game app on brands and retailers alike. Given that studies on the risks attributed to the actual gamification of augmented reality are still scarce, this paper establishes an early understanding on this subject and expands the discussion on the potential negative implications of the commoditisation of augmented reality. Based on an exploratory qualitative design whereby 24 experts in the marketing field were interviewed, this study develops the currently narrow theoretical and practical understanding of how these apps could affect retailers. In sum, the study proposes a pioneering direction on the likely negative implications that gaming platforms such as Pokémon Go could have on the first moment of truth.