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To play is human. Its how toddlers experience and learn about the world they just entered. Its also how we as adults rewire our brains and learn new things most effectively. In a world in which consumers are flooded with choices, companies are fighting ferociously to capture and maintain the consumers attention. The business leaders who are successfully steering their organizations in this digital-first world are using a secret weapon that taps into our most human desire to play: video games. Eighty four percent of all internet users regularly play video games. That comes out to 3.4 billion people globally that play video games almost dailya number that is projected to reach 3.8 billion by 2027. Contrary to the still far too common stereotype around what constitutes a “gamer,” gaming is the only medium that actually reaches all demographic cohorts. Yes, GenZ and Gen Alpha spend more time in games like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox than on all social media channels combined. But according to a report from the Entertainment Software Association, over 35 million Americans over the age of 50 play video games for at least an hour a day. Video games are a multigenerational force. Companies are starting to wake up to this reality and leverage video games as a touch point in their strategies to engage consumers more effectively. Here are four strategies of how companies from any industry can leverage video games for their own business. Integrate with existing video games Identify an existing video game that offers your brand access to an already established audience youd like to reach and integrate with that game. Without a doubt this is the easiest jumping-off point to get into gaming and the best place to start for companies who want to dip their toes into the gaming waters to learn. In 2021, in search of ways to engage with a younger audience, casual dining company Chipotle integrated a Halloween-themed gaming experience into Roblox, a multiplayer online game that features a vast library of user-generated games spanning everything from racing to role-playing games. The collaboration allowed players to dress up their avatars in Chipotle-inspired costumes like Burrito Mummy or Guacenstein, visit the companys first virtual restaurant, and navigate the Chipotle Boorito Maze. The first 30,000 Roblox players to visit during the four days leading up to Halloween received a code they could redeem online, on the Chipotle app, or in a restaurant for a free entrée. In total, Chipotle gave away $1 million in burritosan investment that resulted in 5.2 million gameplays and over two million unique visitors, but also went beyond generating brand exposure. The collaboration delivered a top 10 enrollment day of all time for Chipotles rewards program. Create new video games This is a harder, costlier, and riskier approach that offers greater upside. This is a great fit for companies who are committed to making video games an integral part of their customer engagement strategy instead of using them for isolated marketing campaigns. Creating a new game from scratch means you get to shape the entire gaming experience so that it aligns perfectly with your companys brand and goals. This also opens up a path towards creating and learning from highly valuable first-party data you own about your customers. The New York Times Games offering is a perfect example. A key part of the NYTs digital subscription offering, Games, now includes nine different word and puzzle games that have been the primary driver of the companys digital subscription growth to over 11 million subscribers since the NYT decided to double down on video gaming in 2014. Subscribers that engage with both news and games in a given week exhibit the strongest long-term retention metrics among its customer segments. The Atlantic is now pursuing this strategy. Leverage Web3 games This strategy includes the previous two approaches, but offers distinct opportunities for marketing and monetization due to the underlying blockchain technology. For example, luxury fashion house Burberry partnered with game developer Mythical Games to launch its latest fashion line in their Web3 game called Blankos. Blankos is a multiplayer game that lets players play a variety of mini games with friends as well build their own levels. Burberry created limited-edition in-game characters for Blankos alongside digital clothing items from its newest collection. In just 22 seconds, the entire virtual collection sold out, generating $225,000 in revenue while giving Burberry direct engagement with a different audience. Make the video game the product This is the most advanced strategy where the video game itself becomes the product. Companies embarking on this path ideally have staff with game design experience. For example, fitness company Peloton created a video game called Lanebreak that riders of the Peloton bike can engage in as their workout content. Rather than following instructions from a trainer, the video game simulates a workout in the form of an immersive bike race. The results have been astonishing: 50% of all workouts done on Peloton bikes are now completed in the video game, and those riders tend to complete more and longer workouts in a given week. Video games provide business leaders with the unique opportunity to let their brand come to life in ways that are much harder to achieve in other channels such as social media. Business leaders who want to ensure that their organization is equipped to meet consumers where they are and drive engagement should consider gaming as a strategy. Games are fun, authentic, and most importantly highly effective at driving engagement.
Category:
E-Commerce
Want more housing market stories from Lance Lamberts ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter. To conduct our first-ever real estate agent survey, ResiClub partnered with Zoodealio, a cash-offer platform and iBuyer-management software designed for real estate agents. Among the 238 agents who took the survey, half (50%) have been real estate agents for 15 years or more. The Zoodealio-ResiClub Real Estate Agent Survey was fielded between July 28 and August 24, 2025. Respondents included real estate agents spanning all regions of the U.S., giving us a ground-level view of buyer urgency, seller motivation, leverage shifts, commission structures, and expectations for the next 12 months. Heres what the results revealed. Buyers are gaining power Agents report that buyer urgency in their local market has cooled off compared with a year ago, while sellers have become more urgent. In the Southeast, Southwest, and West, agents say seller urgency is picking up the most, while Midwest and Northeast sellers are steadier. Many agents describe their local markets as more balanced, with leverage tilting back toward buyers as inventory builds. Buyer power is particularly strong across markets in the Southwest, with 96% of agents surveyed in the region reporting buyers gaining leverage in their local market over the past 12 months. Looking ahead: Agent expectations for clients and home prices When asked who they expect to drive business growth over the next 12 months, agents pointed to sellers seeking downsizing options. This growth is possibly downstream of todays strained housing affordability and aging demographics. Agents also expect the move-up buyer category to grow. On a relative basis, agents in the Midwest are slightly more bullish about local home prices over the next 12 months. In contrast, many agents in the Southeast, Southwest, and West anticipate slight home price declinesor even notable dropsover the next 12 months as affordability pressures continue to squeeze. National perspective on mortgage rates and NAR On mortgage rates, nearly half of our surveyed agents (49%) anticipate the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate will finish 2025 in the 6% to 6.5% rangelower than today but still well above the pandemic lows. More than a third of respondents (38%) still think the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate will be in the 6.5% to 7% range. When it comes to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), sentiment skews negative: 31% describe their view as very unfavorable, another 31% somewhat unfavorable, and 28% neutral. Only a small minority of surveyed agents expressed a favorable opinion of the organization. Bluntly put, NAR has an image problem. Commissions After the March 2024 National Association of Realtors settlement, many expected commissions to drop sharply. Our survey shows some change on that frontbut not a major one. On the sell-side, a dominant 92% of agents say their most recent commission was a fixed percentage, compared with 78% on the buy-side. Nearly 1 in 5 buy-side deals now involve either a flat fee, client-negotiated model, or other form of commission. Additionally, the majority of agents remain in the traditional 2% to 3% commission ballpark: 87% of sell-side agents and 78% of buy-side agents report their typical commissions fall within that band. Big Picture The Zoodealio-ResiClub survey results show a housing market in which buyer urgency is cooling, sellers are growing more motivated, and leverage is shifting back toward buyers. In the next 12 months, agents expect the most client segment growth from downsizers and move-up buyers. They also predict modest home price gains in the Northeast and Midwest; softer trends in the Southeast, Southwest, and West; and mortgage rates ending 2025 between 6% and 7%. Post-2024 settlement, sentiment toward NAR is largely unfavorable, while commissions remain fairly stable.
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E-Commerce
If you dread the weekly grocery shop, or get sidetracked by fun snacks only to end up with no real meals, this might be the hack for you. The 5-4-3-2-1 method gives shoppers like you a simple template the next time youre about to crash out in the produce aisle. Instead of tossing random items into the cart and realizing later you have nothing to cook, grab five vegetables, four fruits, three proteins, two starches, and one treat, and call it a day. The idea is that everything can be mixed and matched for different meals, helping to cut costs and prevent food waste. Having a number in mind for each category brings just enough structure to make grocery shopping less stressful, and maybe even enjoyable. The method traces back to content creator and chef Will Coleman, who posted a video of his grocery tips in 2023. He said he could make between four and six meals for two people for under $100 using the formula. Since then, others have tested out his method for themselves. @chefwillco GROCERY SHOPPING TIPS FOR BEGINNERS (and those who are looking to save money.) If youre not the best at grocery shopping or never know what to get, dont sweat it or be embarrassed! Lets step up your game with my 5-4-3-2-1 method. Tag @Whole Foods Market in the comments if you think I should make this a series #adulting #tips #groceryshopping #hauls #howto #cooking #budget #nyc #budgetmeals #comewithme #vlog #explorepage #fyp #viral #nyc #comewithme original sound – Chef Will Coleman A new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that almost 90% of American adults are stressed about grocery costs, which means the viral hack couldnt have resurfaced at a better time. The Consumer Price Index shows grocery prices are up 2.4% compared to last year. Instead of overspending on produce that goes bad at the back of the fridge, focus on staples: a bag of salad, broccoli, zucchini, onions, peppers. Add a few fruits like berries, bananas, kiwi, grapes. Throw some protein in your cart, like salmon, eggs, or tofu, as well as starches like rice or pasta. Of course, youll likely need to buy more than 16 items in order to have a fully stocked kitchen. But its a great starting point for your grocery list if you tend to wander the aisles overwhelmed. On your way to checkout, dont forget something funa seasonal snack or sweet treatbecause you deserve it.
Category:
E-Commerce
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