Learn what companies used marketing role playing to develop new offerings and how this strategy drives innovation and growth.
Ever feel like something’s not quite working in your marketing strategy? You’re putting in the time, analyzing data, and running campaigns, but the results just aren’t clicking. Same here—I’ve been there.
Early on, I spent weeks on a product pitch that completely flopped because we didn’t really get what our audience needed. That’s when I discovered role-playing as a way to spark new ideas, and honestly, it was a game changer.
In this guide, I’ll show you how role-playing is shaking things up in marketing, product development, and even shaping innovative business models for startups. I’ll share how big brands like Lego and Procter & Gamble are using it to create hit products, plus some tips to help you try it yourself.
Let’s get started.
Article Breakdown
What is Role-Playing in Marketing?
Let’s start with the basics. Role-playing in marketing is about stepping into someone else’s shoes—whether it’s your customer, competitor, or stakeholder. It’s not just a quirky team-building activity; it’s a methodical approach to exploring perspectives and brainstorming solutions.
Think of it like this: if you were designing a theme park ride, would you plan it sitting at a desk, or would you want to experience what your visitors feel, from the thrill of the drop to the wait in line? That’s what role-playing achieves in marketing and product development. It bridges the gap between hypothetical ideas and real-world experiences.
Why Role-Playing Works
When I first introduced role-playing to my team, we were skeptical. We thought: “How could pretending to be a customer possibly help us?” But research—and practice—proved otherwise.
Empathy Unlocks Innovation
Role-playing helps teams build empathy. Instead of guessing what your audience wants, you live their experience. Studies show that empathy-driven strategies outperform data-only approaches in creating customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Dynamic Problem Solving
Static brainstorming sessions often hit a wall because they lack context. Role-playing introduces movement and dialogue, forcing you to address challenges in real-time. For example, the Wharton School found that role-playing was more effective than expert predictions in forecasting outcomes in complex situations like negotiations.
Deeper Engagement
When people are actively involved, they care more. Role-playing engages team members, turning passive participants into creative problem-solvers. It’s like the difference between watching a cooking show and actually making the dish—you’re more invested in the result when you’ve had a hand in it.
Companies Used Marketing Role Playing to Develop New Offerings
Now, let’s get into the good stuff: examples of companies that nailed it using role-playing.
Lego: Building Blocks of Customer Empathy
Lego is famous for its creativity, but even this toy giant struggled with inclusivity in its product lines. To address this, Lego organized workshops where employees role-played as kids and parents, exploring how they interacted with toys. These sessions revealed that traditional Lego sets were unintentionally skewed toward boys. The result? Lego Friends, a line designed to appeal to young girls, became a massive hit.
Procter & Gamble: Aisle Simulations
Procter & Gamble took role-playing to the retail floor. To understand how shoppers navigated grocery aisles, the company set up mock stores and had employees simulate customer experiences. This led to packaging tweaks and product placements that boosted sales significantly.
McDonald’s: Testing Healthy Options
McDonald’s faced challenges introducing healthier menu items. Instead of relying solely on surveys, they role-played customer interactions in simulated restaurant environments. This hands-on feedback allowed them to refine their messaging and make healthier options more appealing to their core audience.
Startups and VR Role-Playing
Even startups are embracing role-playing, often pairing it with virtual reality (VR). By simulating customer interactions in a VR environment, teams can test everything from store layouts to app interfaces without costly real-world experiments.
How to Implement Role-Playing in Your Strategy
Feeling inspired? Here’s how you can start using role-playing to supercharge your marketing and product development.
Step 1: Define the Problem
Before jumping into role-play, identify the specific challenge you want to address. Is it a customer pain point? A feature that’s not landing? Be clear about what success looks like.
Step 2: Set the Scene
Create a realistic scenario for your team to act out. If you’re a SaaS company, maybe it’s a support call with a frustrated user. If you’re in retail, it could be a shopper navigating your store for the first time.
Step 3: Assign Roles
Distribute roles strategically. Have someone play the customer, another as a competitor, and others as internal stakeholders. This diversity of perspectives can reveal surprising insights.
Step 4: Act and Reflect
Run the role-play like a live simulation. Encourage participants to stay in character and respond as naturally as possible. Afterward, debrief: What worked? What felt off? How can these insights shape your strategy?
Actionable Tips:
Let’s make this actionable with some analogies and practical advice:
- Role-Playing is Like Testing a Recipe
Imagine you’re trying to bake the perfect cake. Reading the recipe is one thing, but taste-testing as you go ensures the final product isn’t too sweet or dry. Role-playing offers that same iterative feedback. - Start Small
You don’t need a Hollywood set. Even informal role-playing—like having one team member act as a skeptical customer during a pitch rehearsal—can be transformative. - Document the Process
Treat role-playing like an experiment. Record observations and outcomes to refine future sessions.
The Future of Role-Playing: Tech Meets Creativity
As technology evolves, so does the potential for role-playing in business. Here’s what’s on the horizon:
- Virtual Reality (VR): Companies are already using VR to simulate customer interactions and test new environments. Imagine designing a retail store in VR, walking through it as a shopper, and spotting inefficiencies before construction even begins.
- AI-Powered Simulations: AI can enhance role-playing by generating realistic customer personas and scenarios. This allows for even deeper exploration of consumer behavior.
Why I’m a Believer
When I first tried role-playing, it felt awkward. Pretending to be a customer in front of my colleagues? Not exactly in my comfort zone. But once we got into it, something clicked. We uncovered a critical flaw in our product messaging that we’d completely missed in surveys. That single insight turned a mediocre campaign into one of our best performers.
Role-playing taught me that creativity isn’t just about coming up with ideas—it’s about experiencing them.
Key Takings
- Role-playing isn’t just for the big players.
- Whether you’re a scrappy startup or a seasoned marketer, it’s a tool that can inject empathy, creativity, and clarity into your strategy.
- The best part? You can start today.
Additional Resources:
- Empathy in Marketing (Forbes): Learn how empathy and emotional intelligence can enhance marketing strategies.
- Role-Playing in Product Development (Harvard Business Review): Discover how role-playing fosters innovation and collaboration in product design.
