Game-based marketing

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-stoiber/consumers-will-save-the-w_b_1365050.html

This article explains the concept of AIR MILES For Social Change which is a Canadian company that aims to get consumers to buy more green products. The advocates for this company discuss the green intiative and how most advertising doesn't make a significant change in consumers' buying habits. However, swiping the AIR MILES card for most any purchase helps buyers accumulate points which lead to rewards/prizes. This led to another company called Green Rewards which has the same concept except consumers get green intiative rewards when they make sustainable choices. The owner of Green Rewards believes this approach to help consumers become more green has been more effective than past expensive ad campaigns. He also thinks by putting the mainstream idea of green behavior/thoughful consuption into consumers heads this will make more people want to buy sustainable products which in turn collects profit to produce more green products.

*Is this an effective way to get consumers to buy into a more green lifestyle or will the recovering economy cause buyers to continute to consume the cheapest products they can find without thinking about sustainability?