Virtual Booth

Influencer marketing has become an important component in digital marketing. However, students often struggle to translate theoretical concepts into integrated strategic decisions. Traditional teaching, such as lectures and case studies, explains concepts, engagement, trustworthiness, platform algorithms, and content strategy, but limits students' opportunities to experience how these factors affect the dynamic environment. Influence Empire was developed as a gamified, influencer-marketing simulation board game for students in higher education. This game contains 128 cards, including algorithms, events, content, strategy and brand collaboration. This game lets students experience the role of influencers and make decisions with consideration of content creation, audience engagement, strategic investment and brand collaboration. Influence Empire contains two frameworks. Brand-Influencer Fit framework, which allows measuring niche, audience and content and the Influence Score Framework, which allows measuring success through followers, engagement, reputation, and long-term strategic investment. Throughout this game, as students experience the consequences of their choices and explore alternative strategies, they can develop critical thinking and make better marketing decisions.