Abstract
This study explores the context of blood donation in Portugal, specifically aiming to understand how communication strategies can effectively recruit young blood donors aged 18 to 24. The research addresses the following question: What is the impact of communication efforts on the recruitment of young blood donors in Portugal? To answer this question, four specific objectives were set: (1) To evaluate the level of awareness among young individuals in this age group regarding blood donation; (2) to analyze and assess the communication strategies employed by the Portuguese Institute of Blood and Transplantation (IPST) to promote blood donation; (3) to investigate the motivations and barriers related to blood donation; and (4) to identify effective communication strategies for encouraging blood donation. To achieve the first objective, which is the primary focus of this article, a content analysis of 14 blood donation campaigns was conducted. For the second objective, an exploratory interview was held with a specialist from the IPST. The third objective is being addressed through a survey involving 390 young individuals, which has already been administered and revealed that over half of the respondents are not blood donors. The findings suggest that future campaigns should adopt more targeted segmentation strategies based on behavioral criteria and make greater use of integrated marketing communication to enhance effectiveness. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.

Abstract
In an increasingly competitive tourism landscape, digital marketing strategies must adapt to engage modern travelers effectively. This paper investigates the role of gamification in enhancing the competitiveness of tourist destinations, focusing specifically on Braga, Portugal. The study aims to evaluate how gamification can influence destination attractiveness, enhance tourist experiences, and inform decision-making processes. The study used a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses. The qualitative component consisted of semi-structured interviews with key tourism stakeholders in Braga, revealing insights into the benefits and challenges of implementing gamification strategies. The quantitative analysis involved surveys conducted with tourists, assessing their perceptions of gamified elements and their influence on travel decisions. Findings indicate that tourists perceive gamification positively, particularly regarding features such as achievements, storytelling, and point systems, which significantly affect their travel choices. Stakeholders recognize the potential of gamification to boost tourist engagement and satisfaction, while also emphasizing the need to address implementation challenges. The study concludes that gamification can enhance the attractiveness and competitiveness of tourist destinations, though its success depends on strategic planning, resource allocation, and collaboration among stakeholders. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.

Abstract
Building on the work carried out in the context of both the master's thesis and the EUGLOH Tromso Idea Camp 2024, this paper proposes to explore somatic relationships that could help to develop a grammar of practical applicability that specifies which properties pertain to each the three dimensions of Emotional Design presented by Donald Norman. Thus, a proto-ontology affecting some of these factors is presented. The validity of this proposal was methodologically tested mainly through the use of Cultural Probes, along with other methodological tools, which were used to collect emotionally relevant artifacts owned by the participants. This data was submitted through both Content Analysis and Artifact Analysis in order to determine which properties of the artifacts made them meaningful to the users. Different preliminary data related to the three dimensions of Emotional Design emerged: in the first visceral dimension, elements of a perceptual-sensory nature; in the behavioral dimension, some preliminary factors relating to the prevalence of both feedback and image schemas stood out; lastly, the reflective aspect proved to be the one where the most properties were determined, mainly related to symbolic properties.

Abstract
This research aims to leverage digital drawing as a non-verbal language to transcend the communication barriers faced by individuals with partial to complete locked-in syndrome (LIS). It will explore the possibility of using the human body as an interface, through assistive technology, in accordance with its limitation in functionality, to facilitate social reconnection and emotional expression through drawing. This approach is grounded in the understanding that creative expression and communication are fundamental human needs and can significantly impact the well-being and quality of life of individuals with severe motor impairments. This paper will focus on the development of the drawing activities. These activities will run under a mixed reality set that can be tailored by caregivers or therapists to the end-user's needs and preferences, ensuring functionality and user satisfaction through an accessible, enriching, and emotionally rewarding experience. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

Abstract
Games are commonly designed to assist players in their progression, maintaining their attention and motivation until they achieve closure while presenting challenges that need to be overcome to progress. But not all games are designed with this in mind, and players do not always play to progress. When that happens, we call it stalling. In computer games, stalling is when players or the game system try to maintain a particular state, impeding player progression and the game from developing. This chapter explores stalling as an act of players and, alternatively, as an act of the game itself that can be designed or result from emergent behaviours. It presents a model composed of two axes—Player/Game and Transitory/Permanent—that generate four types of stalling: Squandering, Casting-off, Lingering, and Taunting. This model leads to the conclusion that stalling is a legitimate playing tactic and versatile strategy for the design of games. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

Abstract
The interaction between code and language shapes emergence and innovation in computational systems, turning them not merely into a series of connected structures but into narrative spaces. Interactive Digital Narratives (IDNs) are characterized by a tension between the control exerted by the system to engage readers and the autonomy that readers desire over the narrative's direction. This results in a ludic paradox, where the role of the narrative system is to enable and facilitate play while simultaneously being capable of communicating the outcomes of the readers' actions. On the other hand, the reader must be able to participate actively by playing along the system's rules. Based on the notion of interpassivity, which refers to the delegation of the cognitive activity to the object, thus transforming the reader into a passive observer of the system's interactions, this paper aims to explore the interplay between interpassivity and interactivity. As we navigate IDNs, we engage with narratives that challenge and empower readers, that create immersive and enriching experiences, and transform their relationships with the computational system. This contributes to understanding the pleasure of playing and the reader's role. Based on the premise that readers can derive pleasure from automation but also yearn for control over the narrative, we can investigate the playful interaction between humans and machines. This paper will analyze Emissaries (2015-2017), defined by its creator, Ian Cheng, as a video game that plays itself, and where the reader can seemingly only visualize the work. In this case study, we will look for narrative mechanics and the specificity of the medium in which the IDN is instantiated. We will discuss how the computational system actively shapes the narrative without direct reader input and consequently propose a reconceptualization of the concept of interpassivity and its relationship with interactivity.