Danish lighting manufacturer
How a luxury lighting brand used gamification to create an exhibition that was not only beautiful, but also interactive, memorable, and buzzing with energy.
Every June, Copenhagen comes alive as 3daysofdesign takes over the city. The festival has grown into one of the most important design events in the world, with 400+ brands, 500 events, and 45,000 visitors filling showrooms, galleries, and streets across the capital.
In this year’s event, Louis Poulsen, a Danish luxury lighting brand, had a clear goal: they wanted to make their showroom the most visited among hundreds of competing experiences. To achieve this, they combined several exciting initiatives such as combining the event with the opening of their newly renovated store, showcasing upcoming product launches, and inviting visitors to explore an art installation by Henrik Vibskov, inspired by Verner Panton’s Panthella design. Further, for the first time, they turned to Playable to add a layer of gamification to create an activation that was not only beautiful, but also interactive, memorable, and buzzing with energy.
During 3daysofdesign 2025, Louis Poulsen’s showroom offered visitors plenty to explore. The centerpiece was The Circle Dome Square, an installation that reimagined space, rhythm, and form while featuring the brand’s iconic Panthella Portable lamps.
But this year, there was something new. Alongside the installation and product showcases, the brand introduced a gamified experience – one that became a huge attraction during the event.. The activation brought an unexpected layer of play into the showroom, transforming a design exhibition into a place of energy, surprise, and interaction.
The user journey of the gamified experience was thoughtfully designed to be smooth and intuitive. Before entering the showroom, visitors were greeted by the doors, and asked to first register before entering, which meant they didn’t need to provide their details again to participate in the game, reducing friction and making the process feel seamless.
Throughout the showroom, QR codes guided visitors to an online Scratchcard game. Those who won by scratching 3 digital coins received a coin-gratulations message with an online gold coin, which could then be exchanged for a physical coin to activate the physical claw machine installed in the showroom.
The results
Once a coin was earned, visitors had a 100% chance of winning a prize from the claw machine. The prize? A colourful box with the Louis Poulsen initials. Inside each box was a Louis Poulsen monogram keychain, inspired by the colours of the Panthella lamp by Verner Panton. The limited number of winners sparked intrigue and heightened the overall excitement of the experience.
The gamified experience proved to be a major success, emerging as a highly talked-about highlight of the Louis Poulsen showroom. Visitors played until someone won a coin, and then people would gather to watch them try the physical Claw Machine. The shared excitement made the exhibition lively and memorable, leaving a strong impression on visitors.
“When someone won a coin to play the claw machine, the energy in the showroom was amazing. People around would cheer, and everyone seemed genuinely happy for them. It became one of the most exciting spots in the showroom, with visitors drawn to watch, play, and share in the moment.” Stefan Rudberg, Global Senior Graphic Designer at Louis Poulsen
“When someone won a coin to play the claw machine, the energy in the showroom was amazing. People around would cheer, and everyone seemed genuinely happy for them. It became one of the most exciting spots in the showroom, with visitors drawn to watch, play, and share in the moment.”
Stefan Rudberg, Global Senior Graphic Designer at Louis Poulsen
Louis Poulsen also wanted to include followers who couldn’t visit the Copenhagen showroom, so they launched an online version of the Claw Machine* during the 3daysofdesign 2025.
In the online game, participants tried to “claw” a Panthella lamp of a specific color. If they succeeded, they were entered into a draw to win that exact color, with three winners selected during the festival itself, extending the excitement of the showroom to a wider audience.
In the lead-up to 3daysofdesign 2025, Louis Poulsen shared details about their exhibition and the Claw Machine experience through social media and email. On Wednesday, before the showroom opened, they invited influencers to explore the space and its centerpiece, The Circle Dome Square and talk about it on Social Media.
Louis Poulsen also used organic social posts and emails highlighting not only the in-showroom Claw Machine but also the online version of the game, allowing followers who couldn’t attend in Copenhagen to take part. This approach helped create awareness, spark curiosity, and encourage both in-person and online engagement throughout the three-day festival.
Following the success of the 3daysofdesign campaign, Playable helped Louis Poulsen turn the online Claw Machine game* into a digital always-on experience with the purpose of generating leads across various markets. The game is now available on their website and promoted periodically via email and Instagram, giving visitors the chance to “claw” a Panthella lamp and, if successful, enter a monthly draw to win the lamp in the color they clawed.
By extending the campaign in this way, Louis Poulsen keeps the engagement as an always-on campaign, transforming a short-term event into a continuous, interactive experience for their audience.
“At first, we were unsure if gamification would fit a luxury brand like ours, but the results from 3daysofdesign really showed that our audience is genuinely interested. Gamification can be fun for all ages and types of people, and it can be done in a way that fits beautifully with our brand.” Emma Bonelli, Global E‑commerce Manager at Louis Poulsen
“At first, we were unsure if gamification would fit a luxury brand like ours, but the results from 3daysofdesign really showed that our audience is genuinely interested. Gamification can be fun for all ages and types of people, and it can be done in a way that fits beautifully with our brand.”
Emma Bonelli, Global E‑commerce Manager at Louis Poulsen
*The online claw machine game was customer-built for Louis Poulsen