A Finnish research project examining humor has been granted 3.6 million euros by Business Finland, involving universities and companies to explore humor as a measurable competitive advantage.
Business Finland has awarded 3.6 million euros to a unique research project called Funmersive, which will investigate the concept of fun and how it can serve as a competitive advantage in business. Set to begin in February 2026 and continue until summer 2028, this project involves collaboration between the University of Turku, the University of Jyväskylä, and five companies. The primary goal is to transform the elusive notion of fun into a quantifiable and designable element in business strategies.
The Funmersive project aims to explore the ways that fun influences customer engagement at various stages of the customer journey, from first impressions to long-term usage of services. By understanding how fun can be strategically integrated into user experiences, the project seeks to shift the perception of fun from being a vague quality to a measurable characteristic that can enhance customer loyalty and satisfaction.
As the relationship between fun and motivation is well-established, this research emphasizes the importance of fun not just as a subjective experience, but as a key component that can be systematically applied to improve service offerings. The successful outcome of this project could lead to significant advancements in how businesses approach customer interactions, ultimately allowing them to leverage fun as a core part of their competitive strategy.
