Optimal or Overload? Immersive Gamification and Co-Creation Effects on Sustained Brand Behavior in Sports & Fitness Brands: A Mixed-Method Approach

Sports and fitness brands are increasingly using gamification to enhance customer engagement and loyalty by applying gaming concepts in non-gaming contexts. Current research primarily examines gamification features, customer brand engagement, and brand co-creation, focusing on features that are typically deployed in the development and implementation of sports brand marketing strategies. This research employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, comprising a quantitative phase that utilized survey data from 277 active users of sports and fitness brands, and a qualitative phase that involved thematic analysis of interviews with 15 individuals, conducted through NVivo 14 software. Results indicate that immersion features drive customer brand engagement, which significantly influences brand co-creation and fully mediates the relationship between immersion features and co-creation. In contrast, engagement plays only a minimal mediating role for social features. These quantitative findings were corroborated by qualitative data, suggesting that brand value-contributing behaviors support intrinsic motivation. Grounded in Motivation 3.0 theory, the study highlights immersive, value-centric gamified experiences (e.g., augmented reality, virtual engagement) as vital components for intrinsic motivation and sustaining engagement. Consequently, it offers original theoretical and practical contributions for Industry 4.0, enabling brands to leverage gamified platforms for enhanced co-creation and sustained engagement.