Our gamification ethics and rules

First published 2022-02-01

Last updated 2024-03-14

‍

This article details the rules, principles and terms around the Elfie coins and gamified activities available to users in its wellness app “Elfie”. 

1. PRINCIPLES & RULES

1.1. Gamification principles

There are 4 ethical principles to which Elfie gamification obeys:

1. Free to participate: there is no need to buy anything to participate in any of the gamified activities.
2. Encourage self-monitoring and healthy behaviours: each gamified activity must encourage self-monitoring (e.g. vitals tracking, treatment intake/skipped reporting) or encourage healthy lifestyle (e.g. physical activity, smoking cessation, sleeping, education…). Both positive rewards (earning coins) and negative rewards (losing coins) contribute to encouraging self-monitoring. 
3. No need to cheat: there is no need to lie (e.g. vital level, medication intake) to be rewarded as Elfie rewards normal/elevated vitals and medication taken/skipped equally.
4. No need to fake: each user can earn the same amount of coins (e.g. up to 40,000 / month), regardless if they have or not a chronic condition or health objective.

1.2. On the nature of Elfie coins

The Elfie coin follows strict rules to ensure that it is not classified as real currency or subjected to financial regulations.

• Non-Redeemable: Elfie coins cannot be exchanged for real money, cryptocurrencies, or any financial instruments. They can only be used to redeem rewards within the app.
• Internal Use Only: Elfie coins can be used exclusively within the app's ecosystem. They cannot be transferable to other users outside the app's environment or exchangeable on external platforms.
• ⁠No Real-World Value: Elfie coins have no real-world value and are meant to enhance user experience or engagement within the app.
• ⁠Clear Terms of Use: Include a detailed section in your app's terms of service or user agreement that outlines the use, acquisition, and limitations of the app coins. Elfie ensures users agree to these terms before earning and using the coins.
• ⁠No Financial Language: Elfie refrains from using financial terms like "invest", "profit", or "return" when describing the acquisition or use of app coins. This helps prevent misconceptions about the nature of the virtual currency.
• ⁠Controlled Distribution and Redemption: Elfie maintains complete control over how app coins are distributed and what they can be redeemed for.
• ⁠No External Trading: Elfie prohibits the selling, trading, or transferring of app coins outside the app platform. This can be enforced through technical measures and explicitly stated in your terms of service.

1.3. Earning coins

Elfie coins can primarily be earned by completing self-monitoring actions or healthy activities:

• Entering vitals;
• Monitoring medication adherence (or lack of);
• Physical activity (steps, calorie burn);
• Education (article, quizzes);
• Encouraging friends and family to monitor their health with Elfie.

Elfie coins can also be earned as prizes in healthy-promoting challenges (cf. “play” section below).

1.4. Burning coins

Elfie coins can be used towards rewards redemption (cf. “Redeem” section below) or charity goals (cf. “Donate” section below).

2. "PLAY" SECTION

As mentioned above, all users have free access to challenges that encourage self-monitoring, healthy lifestyle and health education.

2.1. Lucky Draw

• Rules:
  • Any user who opens the Elfie app on 7 different days within a qualifying period (usually a calendar month) will be eligible for the draw.
  • The draw will occur immediately at the end of the qualifying period and the draw algorithm will select at random one or several winners depending on the configuration of the draw. 
• Type of prizes:
  • Free gift vouchers or free physical prizes or free services.
  • Value superior to $200, no upper limit in theory, but in practice below $10,000 for now. 
  • E.g. $400 Decathlon voucher, $300 Expedia voucher, Omron/Withings smart scale.
• Sponsor of the prize:some text
  • Elfie.
• Redemption process:
  • Physical delivery:
    1. Elfie collects the delivery details from the winner (either submitted by the user in the app or received via email/phone communication between our customer service team and the user);
    2. Elfie purchases the goods / service / card from the local subsidiary of the merchant in the country where the user is located;
    3. Elfie delivers the goods / service / card in person or via local courier services.
  • Digital delivery (for online coupons / online cash cards): some text
    1. Elfie shares the coupon or cash cards with the winner via email or within the application.
• Availability of prizes:
  • For country-specific prizes, Elfie makes sure that the prizes are available in that country and may procure partial or full inventory to ensure speedy delivery.
  • For global prizes, Elfie makes sure that the prizes are easily available (renowned brand).
  • The limited quantity of the prizes ensure that Elfie is capable of meeting its obligations. 
  • Users must claim their prizes within 90 days of the draw.

2.2. Step challenge

• Rules:
  • Any user who walks a certain number of steps (aka step goal) within the qualifying period (usually a calendar month) will qualify for a draw.
  • Steps must be synchronised via Apple Health or Google Fit or using the phone sensors.
  • The draw will occur immediately at the end of the qualifying period and the draw algorithm will select at random one or several winners depending on the configuration of the draw. 
  • The step challenge may allocate a certain number of Elfie coins to all the participants who qualified.
• Type of prizes:
  • Free gift vouchers or free physical prizes or free services.
  • Value superior to $200, no upper limit in theory, but in practice below $10,000 for now. 
  • E.g. $400 Decathlon voucher, $300 Expedia voucher, Omron/Withings smart scale.
• Sponsor of the prize:
  • Elfie.
• Redemption process:
  • Physical delivery:
    1. Elfie collects the delivery details from the winner (either submitted by the user in the app or received via email/phone communication between our customer service team and the user)
    2. Elfie purchases the goods / service / card from the local subsidiary of the merchant in the country where the user is located;
    3. Elfie delivers the goods / service / card in person or via local courier services.
  • Digital delivery (for online coupons / online cash cards): some text
    1. Elfie shares the coupon or cash cards with the winner via email or within the application.
• Availability of prizes:
  • For country-specific prizes, Elfie makes sure that the prizes are available in that country and may procure partial or full inventory to ensure speedy delivery.
  • For global prizes, Elfie makes sure that the prizes are easily available (renowned brand).
  • The limited quantity of the prizes ensure that Elfie is capable of meeting its obligations. 
  • Users must claim their prizes within 90 days of the draw.

2.3. Coin challenge

• Rules:
  • Any user who earns a certain number of coins (aka coins goal) within the qualifying period (usually a calendar month) will qualify for a draw.
  • Coins must be earned by completing items of the self-monitoring plan located on the homepage of the Elfie app. Coins earned by referrals, articles or prizes don’t qualify towards the coin goal.
  • The draw will occur immediately at the end of the qualifying period and the draw algorithm will select at random one or several winners depending on the configuration of the draw. 
• Type of prizes:
  • Free gift vouchers or free physical prizes or free services
  • Value superior to $200, no upper limit in theory, but in practice below $10,000 for now. 
  • E.g. $400 Decathlon voucher, $300 Expedia voucher, Omron/Withings smart scale
• Sponsor of the prize:
  • Elfie.
• Redemption process:
  • Physical delivery:
    1. Elfie collects the delivery details from the winner (either submitted by the user in the app or received via email/phone communication between our customer service team and the user);
    2. Elfie purchases the goods / service / card.
    3. Elfie delivers the goods / service / card in person or via courier services.
  • Digital delivery (for online coupons / online cash cards): some text
    1. Elfie shares the coupon or cash cards with the winner via email or within the application.
• Availability of prizes:
  • For country-specific prizes, Elfie makes sure that the prizes are available in that country and may procure partial or full inventory to ensure speedy delivery.
  • For global prizes, Elfie makes sure that the prizes are easily available (renowned brand).
  • The limited quantity of the prizes ensure that Elfie is capable of meeting its obligations. 
  • Users must claim their prizes within 90 days of the draw.

2.4. Fortune wheel

• Rules:
  • Any user who completes at least 3 items in his self-monitoring plan will earn 1 free spin of the wheel.
  • Elfie may grant a free spin to encourage users at risk of self-monitoring “drop-off”.
  • The prize wheel is divided into 6 to 8 slices with a different probability and a different prize on each slice; at the end of the spin, the wheel will stop on one slice and reveal the corresponding prize.
• Type of prizes:
  • The top prize is a valuable physical gift (e.g. iphone, bicycle…)
  • 5,000 or 20,000 Elfie coins
  • Another free spin
  • Loss / no win 
• Sponsor of the prize:
  • Elfie.
• Redemption process:
  • Physical delivery:
    1. Elfie collects the delivery details from the winner (either submitted by the user in the app or received via email/phone communication between our customer service team and the user);
    2. Elfie purchases the goods / service / card.
    3. Elfie delivers the goods / service / card in person or via courier services.
  • Digital delivery (for online coupons / online cash cards): some text
    1. Elfie shares the coupon or cash cards with the winner via email or within the application.
• Availability of prizes:
  • For country-specific prizes, Elfie makes sure that the prizes are available in that country.
  • For global prizes, Elfie makes sure that the prizes are easily available (renowned brand).
  • The limited quantity of the prizes ensure that Elfie is capable of meeting its obligations. 
  • Users must claim their prizes within 90 days of the draw.

2.5. Speed quiz

• Rules:
  • All users can participate in the speed quiz once during the available period (usually 1 week).
  • Users must answer all questions (usually 5 to 10) correctly to qualify.
  • The users answering all questions correctly may win a certain amount of Elfie coins.
  • The user(s) who answered all questions correctly the fattest will win a special prize.
• Type of prizes:
  • A certain (large) amount of Elfie coins.
• Sponsor of prizes:
  • Elfie.
• Redemption process:
  • The Elfie coins will be automatically credited to the user Elfie wallet.

2.6. Scratch cards (streak)

• Rules:
  • All users can participate in the streak.
  • Users that connect everyday for a certain number of days (e.g. 3, 7, 10, 14, 21…) may win a special prize (Elfie coins or badges)
• Type of prizes:
  • A certain amount of Elfie coins.
• Sponsor of prizes:
  • Elfie.
• Redemption process:
  • The Elfie coins will be automatically credited to the user Elfie wallet.

3. "REDEEM" SECTION

As mentioned previously, all users can redeem their Elfie coins towards rewards provided by Elfie. These rewards are purchased or sourced by Elfie from selected brands.

3.1. Flash rewards

• Rules:
  • Flash rewards can be redeemed using Elfie coins.
  • Flash rewards are only available for a short period of time (e.g. 8, 12, or 24 hours).
  • Rewards cannot be restricted or illicit products (e.g. no weapon, medication, alcohol, cigarettes, drugs…)
  • Rewards cannot promote unhealthy / harmful behaviours when used or consumed in reasonable quantities (e.g. foods or drinks with high-salt / high saturated fats / high processed sugar content).
• Type of prizes:
  • Physical goods of moderate value (e.g $5-20).
  • Digital goods of moderate value (e.g $5-20)
• Sponsor of prizes:
  • Elfie.
• Redemption process:
  • Physical delivery:
    1. Elfie collects the delivery details from the winner (either submitted by the user in the app or received via email/phone communication between our customer service team and the user);
    2. Elfie purchases the good / service / card.
    3. Elfie delivers the goods / service / card via courier services.
  • Digital delivery (for online coupons / online cash cards):
    1. Elfie shares the coupon or cash cards with the winner via email or within the application.
• Availability of prizes:
  • For country-specific prizes, Elfie makes sure that the prizes are available in that country and may procure partial or full inventory to ensure speedy delivery.
  • For global prizes, Elfie makes sure that all prizes include the sentence “or equivalent” to be able to source the prizes in the country of the winner.
  • The limited quantity and value of the prizes ensure that Elfie is capable of meeting its obligations. 
  • Users must claim their prizes within 30 days of the redemption.

3.2. Exclusive rewards

• Rules: 
  • Exclusive rewards can be redeemed using Elfie coins.
  • Rewards cannot be restricted or illicit products (e.g. no weapon, medication, alcohol, cigarettes, drugs…)
  • Rewards cannot promote unhealthy / harmful behaviours when used or consumed in reasonable quantities (e.g. foods or drinks with high-salt / high saturated fats / high processed sugar content).
• Type of prizes:
  • Discount vouchers on physical goods, digital goods or services of moderate to high value (e.g 10%-70% off vouchers).
  • Cash cards for physical goods, digital goods or services of moderate to high value (e.g. $100-$400 gift cards)
• Sponsor of prizes:some text
  • Elfie.
  • Merchants.
• Redemption process:
  • Digital delivery (for online coupons / online cash cards): some text
    1. Elfie shares the coupon or cash cards with the winner via email or within the application.
    2. The user uses the coupon either on the online store or the physical store of the merchant
• Availability of prizes:
  • For country-specific prizes, Elfie makes sure that the prizes are available in that country and procure the full inventory of the coupons from the merchants before allowing users to redeem them.
  • Users must claim their prizes within voucher validity period (it is merchant specific so it is indicated on the reward page in the app).

3.3. Top rewards

• Rules:
  • Flash rewards can be redeemed using Elfie coins.
  • Flash rewards are only available for a short period of time (e.g. 8, 12, or 24 hours).
• Type of prizes:
  • Physical goods of moderate value (e.g $5-20).
  • Digital goods of moderate value (e.g $5-20)
• Sponsor of prizes:
  • Elfie.
• Redemption process:
  • Physical delivery:
    1. Elfie collects the delivery details from the winner (either submitted by the user in the app or received via email/phone communication between our customer service team and the user);
    2. Elfie purchases the goods / service / card.
    3. Elfie delivers the goods / service / card via courier services.
  • Digital delivery (for online coupons / online cash cards):
    1. Elfie shares the coupon or cash cards with the winner via email or within the application.

4. "DONATE" SECTION

Finally, all users can use their Elfie coins towards charity goals. These charities are selected and financed exclusively by Elfie.

4.1. Public charities

• Type of charities:
  • Charities are non-for-profit organisations or organisations with a public health and social welfare mission as its primary objective (e.g. medical aid, education, disaster support, nutrition…)
  • Charities cannot have without political affiliation.
  • In secular States, charities cannot be affiliated to a religious organisation.
• Rules:
  • Elfie selects a charity with a specific geographic target (one country usually).
  • Elfie defines a coin goal to reach.
  • Any users can give any amount of Elfie coins (up to the amount available in their Elfie wallet) to contribute towards a coin goal.
  • Once the coin goal is reached, Elfie will make a cash donation to the charity.
  • The amount of the cash donation is at the discretion of Elfie (usually $200-$500).
  • Users cannot contribute financially to the charity via Elfie.
  • Users can post on social media that they contributed toward the Elfie charity goal.
• Sponsor of the donation:
  • Elfie exclusively.
• Donation process:
  • Elfie transfers the funds to the charity via credit card or bank transfer.

4.2. Private causes

• Type of private causes:
  • Individuals or families in need for support to finance a medical operation..
• Rules:
  • Elfie selects a legitimate cause.
  • Elfie defines a coin goal to reach.
  • Any users can give any amount of Elfie coins (up to the amount available in their Elfie wallet) to contribute towards a coin goal.
  • Once the coin goal is reached, Elfie will make a cash donation to the charity.
  • The amount of the cash donation is at the discretion of Elfie (e.g. $2,000-$5,000).
  • Users cannot contribute financially to the cause via Elfie.
  • Users can post on social media that they contributed toward the Elfie cause goal.
• Sponsor of the donation:
  • Elfie exclusively.
• Donation process:
  • Elfie transfers the funds to the individuals or families via bank transfer.