https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Commentaries


Photo by SAYIDOMAR MAHAMED from Pixabay

Commentary

Gamifying city pandemic recovery to help small businesses

Gamifying city pandemic recovery to help small businesses

  • Written by Amos Meiri
  • 5th May 2021

As The New York Times’s resident “game maker” eloquently explained last year, humans love games. Research shows that gamification—the application of game elements and digital game design techniques for non-gaming purposes—can positively impact just about every aspect of life.

Some believe gamification goes back to at least the 19th century, while recent studies have shown the benefits of gamifying everything from product marketing and investing to cultural heritage promotion and healthy living. Now, with cities throughout the United States struggling to rebound from the pandemic, gamification is serving yet another important purpose: supporting the recovery of small businesses.

The gamification of everyday interactions by city governments is nothing new. One example is the City of Salem, Mass., which launched a city-wide game in 2013 called “What’s the Point” to encourage participation in neighborhood revitalization by creating a competition that rewarded residents for their revitalization plan ideas. Another good example can be found in Allentown, Pa., where city officials initiated the “Recyclebank” program in 2016, rewarding residents for their recycling efforts with points that could be redeemed for deals and discounts at local shops and restaurants.

But as cities throughout the country seek out ways to stimulate economic recovery and maximize the impact of CARES Act funds in the wake of the pandemic, the deployment of smart city technology to gamify everyday interactions has taken on heightened importance. Sadly, the pandemic has created a situation in which local businesses that were already suffering from the proliferation of ecommerce are now on life support—while Amazon and Walmart saw profits increase by 56 percent from 2019 to 2020, 74 percent of American business owners are in need of further government assistance to weather the pandemic, according to a MetLife U.S. Chamber of Commerce poll. As a result, forward-thinking cities such as Akron, Ohio; and Boston, are using technology to transform local shopping into a source of pride for residents.

In Boston, for example, the city government recently rolled out the “B-Local” app, which supports local business recovery by incentivizing Bostonians to spend locally. By using the B-Local smartphone app, shoppers earn rewards at participating local businesses across the city when they make purchases with cards linked to their B-Local account. These rewards may then be applied at a list of redeeming Boston businesses.

Akron launched a similar campaign last year to support the city’s women- and minority-owned businesses and incentivize its residents to shop locally, and the city is already reaping the benefits. For each dollar the city has invested, it has experienced at least $9 of economic impact and generated more than $400,000 in economic activity.

Both examples show how we can influence behavior by creating a sense of progress towards a goal. The positive impact for a city’s resilience is infinite; small businesses thrive, the local economy thrives, municipalities earn additional taxes and more jobs are created through increased economic activity, and residents are highly engaged and acting towards achieving the city’s goals.

While these initiatives are hopeful signals that we are nearing the end of the pandemic, they are just the beginning of a future in which cities leverage technology to transform local shopping and civic engagement into sources of pride for residents. It’s easy to envision a not-too-distant future in which every city government deploys tech solutions for encouraging residents to participate in essential civic activities such as recycling, voting, and taking public transportation; embracing and attending city events; supporting historically underrepresented segments of the populations; and creating a landscape where residents feel encouraged and rewarded for participating in public discourse.

 

Amos Meiri is co-founder and CEO of Colu, a pioneer in the creation of technology for increasing civic engagement by rewarding residents for taking actions that promote strategic goals for community good. Colu helps cities thrive by incentivizing residents to shop local, move in more sustainable and healthier ways, and participate in activities around the city.

Tags: homepage-featured-3 homepage-featured-4 Smart Cities & Technology Commentaries Commentaries Smart Cities & Technology Commentary

Most Recent


  • These 10 American cities are well prepared for a tech-based future
    From smart devices to electric vehicles, the success of technological advancements rely on municipal grids and infrastructure. Some cities are better equipped for the future than others. A new analysis from the tech company ProptechOS ranks the top 10 American cities best positioned for a “smart city future.” “But new technologies can only support us […]
  • public health
    How public health can build a “one health” infrastructure for the future
    Public health challenges—like antibiotic resistance, vector-borne disease and a global pandemic—have eluded traditional public health tools and frameworks. As a result, public health leaders focus more and more on the intersection between the environment and human health. Searching for a better framework to understand emerging threats to human health, many in public health circles have […]
  • Report: With increasing popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters, there's a need for 'safe and connected infrastructure'
    Electric scooters and e-bikes are rising in popularity. As transportation options diversify, local policymakers are beginning to integrate micromobility means as integral fixtures in transportation networks and climate action plans, given their health and climate benefits. But along with solutions, they’re also bringing with them a slew of hurdles. A report out of Oregon highlights […]
  • How 5G is making cities safer, smarter, and more efficient
    This article first appeared on Urgent Communication. It’s a scenario we’ve all experienced: an ambulance with a blaring siren racing against time to get a person in medical distress to a hospital through traffic. What we don’t see is 5G connectivity enabling paramedics to communicate with hospital staff via video conference and coordinate care in […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • North Texas alliance partners with Marketplace.city on smart government solutions
  • Harris County deploys next-generation security in 150 public buildings
  • Prioritizing rapid restore leads to stronger ransomware attack recovery
  • Today’s infrastructure needs greater than roads and bridges - It’s time to face our digital connectiveness

WHITE PAPERS


Modernizing government services for today’s resident expectations

24th January 2023

Preparing Your Community Now for the Next Generation of Older Adults

18th October 2022

Helping Government Fleets Achieve Their Goals

30th September 2022
view all

Webinars


How To: Evaluate Digital Government Service Delivery Technologies

23rd January 2023

Using Technology to Enhance Communications

29th November 2022

Learn the benefits of transforming and automating your Contract Management process

4th November 2022
view all

Podcast


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

GALLERIES


These 10 American cities are well prepared for a tech-based future

1st February 2023

Report: While remote work is causing offices to empty out, walkable cities are still in high demand

26th January 2023

10 American cities with a great downtown

24th January 2023
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

Amid spike, federal transportation department launches initiative to curb traffic-related deaths dlvr.it/Shvs31

3rd February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Engaging businesses to strengthen your community dlvr.it/ShvZn0

3rd February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Report: Some public employees face financial hardship; comprehensive pay packages proved ‘a pathway toward economic… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

2nd February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Strategic Budgeting for Modern Government dlvr.it/ShrHmD

2nd February 2023
AmerCityCounty

These 10 American cities are well prepared for a tech-based future dlvr.it/Shp7sH

1st February 2023
AmerCityCounty

How public health can build a “one health” infrastructure for the future dlvr.it/ShnlKm

1st February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Four Steps to Better Municipal Fleet Fuel Purchasing dlvr.it/ShnbWP

1st February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Report: With increase popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters, there’s a need for ‘safe and connected infrastructure’ dlvr.it/ShlKmJ

31st January 2023

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.