Eagle, Lynne, Dahl, Stephan, Muscat, Melody, and Low, David R. (2013) Not quite playing the game? Mobile applications for healthier lifestyles. In: Proceedings of the World Marketing Congress (XVI) pp. 335-345. From: 16th Biennial World Marketing Congress: looking forward, looking back: drawing on the past to shape the future of marketing, 17-20 July 2013, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

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Abstract

This paper focuses on the use of mobile "app"-based interventions as tools to influence health-related behaviour. Apps are software applications designed to run on smart phones and other mobile devices We review the extensive but fragmented literature relating to serious games and gamification in order to identify the key concepts and frameworks that can be used to underpin the design and evaluation of these apps. We then use these criteria to review a range of current apps developed by one public body, the UK NHS and commercial developers of health-related apps and compare these to commercial apps promoting unhealthy food items. We suggest that there are serious weaknesses evident in the apps provided by public bodies and that this sector could learn from an analysis of the development strategies used in the commercial sector. Directions for future research conclude the paper.

Item ID:	28536
Item Type:	Conference Item (Research - E1)
ISBN:	978-0-939783-16-8
ISSN:	0889-3071
Keywords:	phone apps, communication effectiveness, behaviour change, social marketing
Related URLs:	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24184-...
Additional Information:	Also published in: L. Eagle, S. Dahl, M. Muscat and D. R. Low (2016) Not quite playing the game? Mobile applications for healthier lifestyles In: C. Campbell and J. J. Ma (eds.) Looking Forward, Looking Back: drawing on the past to shape the future of marketing: Proceedings of the 2013 World Marketing Congress. Springer, Cham, Switzerland, pp. 319-329. ISBN: 978-3-319-24184-5 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24184-5_84
Date Deposited:	20 Aug 2013 05:01
FoR Codes:	15 COMMERCE, MANAGEMENT, TOURISM AND SERVICES > 1505 Marketing > 150502 Marketing Communications @ 80% 11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1117 Public Health and Health Services > 111712 Health Promotion @ 20%
SEO Codes:	91 ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK > 9104 Management and Productivity > 910403 Marketing @ 100%
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