This series of videos prepared by Volkswagen has an interesting point.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw]

The concept behind the video is creating an opportunity to make doing things that are less fun, fun.  By creating a gigantic piano of the stairs, people are excited and interested to jump on the fun – literally and figuratively.  While the suggestion from VW is that “something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better” may be right to some extent, it’s limitations of novelty might not create the kind of lasting change that the project aims for.

However, the winner of the competition submitted a pretty novel idea.  What if you could incentivize positive behavior by transferring the punitive disbursement of those engaging in negative behavior to those that are being good.  By doing so, you provide regular and valuable  gain for those that engage in positive behaviors.  Check it out:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iynzHWwJXaA]

Making something fun is definitely helpful; but making something fulfilling and personally valuable is much longer-lasting.  By asking for – and developing – personal buy-in, you reach the core of a person’s decision-making; and if you’re  lucky, help them redefine their understanding of themselves.

Of course, a little fun never hurts either:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbEKAwCoCKw]

Ryan Lucas
Supervisor of Marketing