The Fun Theory

[Ghoulish Delight]

Volkswagen has been commissioning a bit of viral marketing in the form of some installations under the theme, "Can we influence people to make 'better' choices by making things fun." They're calling it the "Fun Thoery" (Rolighetsteorin).

The World's Deepest Recycle Bin (http://www.youtube.com/user/Rolighetsteorin#p/a/f/0/cbEKAwCoCKw)

Bottle Bank Arcade (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSiHjMU-MUo)

Piano Stairs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-EaT0WHaf0)

[alphabassettgrrl]

I didn't get the sound to work, but I do agree with their premise that people will do more of the things that are fun. I wonder how long the thrill lasts, though, and if the fun factor wears off over time.

Will people continue to take the piano stairs after a couple of weeks of regular commuting? Hard to say. Maybe.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I don't think the intent was to prove that these particular ideas had any sort of lasting formative power. Simply that the general concept of fun is an effective motivational force, regardless of the particular implementation aside.

[innerSpaceman]

I wonder how long the thrill lasts, though, and if the fun factor wears off over time.

My curmudgeonly thought as well. The fun would have to be revised at least monthly or the behaviors will resort to lazy idiocy.


I also don't think it's worthy of any sort of genius award to realize that fun motives people. I think it's a brilliant piece of advertising, however, proving another genius theory: Money motivates people even more than fun.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

I think both of the recycling ideas have the potential for long term popularity. I think the stairs will soon be avoided (if not shunned) due to the cacophony of multiple climbers outweighing the novelty.

[innerSpaceman]

was that a pun?

[Moonliner]

Why does the term "viral markering" come to mind? How long before this "fun theory" is related to VW's cars?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Why does the term "viral markering" come to mind? How long before this "fun theory" is related to VW's cars?Umm, perhaps because A) They've made no secret that it's part of a viral marketing campaign, and B) the term "viral marketing" is in my OP. Just a wild guess.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

I think both of the recycling ideas have the potential for long term popularity. I think the stairs will soon be avoided (if not shunned) due to the cacophony of multiple climbers outweighing the novelty.was that a pun?Were you asking me? If so, what was the pun you're asking about? I'm confused.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Were you asking me? If so, what was the pun you're asking about? I'm confused.
I believe he's referring to "outweighing", in that the idea behind the piano stairs was to get people to choose the stairs, for their health.

[innerSpaceman]

oh, I hadn't thought of it that way. My perceived pun was because it's the weight of people on the stairs that will cause the unwanted cacaphony.

One or two persons' weight might be a sonata, but too much weight in too many places on the piano stairs - and you've got Downtown Disney near the Uva Bar.

[3894]

For every job that must be done
There is an element of fun.
You find the fun and
snap! the job's a game.
-Mary Poppins