Marketing simulation game facts for kids

Marketing simulation games are like special video games. They let you try out different marketing ideas in a pretend world. It's a safe way to see what happens when you make choices about selling things. These games often teach you about important marketing topics. For example, you can learn about how to plan what to sell (called marketing strategy). You can also learn where to place your products (that's product positioning). And you can figure out how much to charge for things (these are pricing strategies). You might even learn why people buy certain products (this is about consumer behaviour).

These games usually focus on a specific type of business or company. They have different situations or "scenarios" you can play through. After you make your choices, the game shows you the results.

You can play these games by yourself or with a team. Often, players work together or compete against each other. Each player or team acts like a company. They make decisions over and over again, usually in rounds.

Marketing Games in School

Many colleges and universities use marketing games to teach students. A study in 2004 found that over 64% of professors in American universities used these games. Teachers hope that students will learn more about marketing ideas by actually using them. They also want students to gain real-world marketing skills.

Today, digital technology is very important in marketing. This means marketing professionals need to be good with computers and online tools. Because of this, schools are under pressure to help students learn digital marketing skills. Computerized marketing simulation games are a great way to do this. They help students learn digital skills in a fun way.

Research shows that students feel like they learn a lot from these games. They feel as if they are working on real marketing projects.

From 2008 to 2017, Google had a competition called the "Google Online Marketing Challenge" (GOMC). This contest was for college students. Student teams worked with small businesses or non-profit groups. Their goal was to create online marketing campaigns. To learn best, students needed to plan, do, then check their actions. The competition gave them feedback to help them learn.

How Games Help You Learn

Researchers are looking into how marketing simulation games help students learn. They are studying how game data and learning data can give students special experiences. This can make learning more interesting and keep students involved. Most of this research focuses on one game platform. It often looks at a small number of universities in the same country.

Sometimes, using computer games for learning can be tricky. If a game uses technology that students are not used to, it can be frustrating. This might make it harder to learn. Also, some students might try to "trick" the game to get high scores. They might take big risks without thinking much about their decisions. This can also make it harder for them to learn the real lessons.

Other Ways Marketing Simulations Are Used

Marketing simulations are not just for school. Companies also use them to help make important decisions. They can help businesses understand how their systems work better. They can also guide research and help companies plan for the future.

See also

• Business simulation
• Serious game