Digital Visitor Payback Concepts
Š Erwin Christis
Last updated on July 5, 2012
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Before you print this document This report is optimised for iPad. Load it in Apple’s free iBooks app (available from the iTunes Store) and enjoy the environmentally friendly version of this document.
This report is a result of the Interreg IVB project WECAN. Work Package 3 deals with the mechanisms of visitor payback schemes. They were evaluated with a view to developing appropriate models for post-industrial regions and creating guidelines to promote the transfer of similar schemes in other regions. The partners of the WECAN project are Groundwork Wales (Valleys Regional Park), Welsh Government (Valleys Regional Park), Parc Naturel Régional de l’Avesnois, Espaces Naturels Régionaux, Parc Naturel Régional Scarpe-Escaut and Regionaal Landschap Kempen en Maasland vzw. wecan-interregIVB.eu
Boondoggle is a full-service communications agency based in Leuven, Belgium and Amsterdam, The Netherlands. boondoggle.eu
This report aims to offer a final overview of the different concepts Boondoggle developed as part of a research project on digital visitor payback systems. Before we got to the more practical part of developing ideas, we went through a lengthy research phase, in which we researched past and existing examples of visitor payback. We had a close look at the different target groups, their motivations and the typical customer journey. And we looked at various examples of digital innovation that may somehow benefit visitor payback systems. This document wants to inspire you. That’s why we deliberately kept it light and visual. We don’t provide out-of-the-box solutions, but aspire to provide practical ideas that may serve as a starting point for your own digital visitor payback project. Enjoy!
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In this report 1. About this report 2. Visitor payback 3. Concepts 1. Disconnect 2. Parklapse 3. Live updates 4. Contribute 5. Buy a mile 6. Capture the wow 7. My book 8. Charge bench 9. Donators only 10.Donatometer 11. Parcoupon 12. Bearn calories 13. Treasure hunt 14. Animal proof
. . 9 11 28 48 62 77 86 100 119 129 140 151 163 178 193
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Visitor payback refers to the process of asking visitors to voluntarily support management and conservation of the area, by donating a nominal sum towards its upkeep.
Our task: given the disruptive potential of digital media, develop a number of concepts that use “digital� as a way to get more people to voluntarily contribute money to preserve nature.
Here’s what we came up with.
At the end of each project, you’ll find a checklist that looks like this. The checklist should allow you to evaluate a number of parameters such as budget, complexity and PR value. Check a mark ranging from “very low/ easy” to “very high/hard”. Additionally, a rough budget estimate is added to give you an indication of the resources required.
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1
INSIGHT
When people choose to spend their precious time in our parks, they want to take a break from daily life.
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DISCONNECT Because we rather offer ff fresh air than free wiďŹ
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What’s the concept? To many visitors, an afternoon in a nature park means taking a break from busy daily life. Rather than being constantly connected, they may prefer to just shut off their phone. Therefore, instead of providing visitors with extra applications and tools, we help them take a break and disconnect from their phone, tablet or computer. Disconnect offers you total freedom: all you need to optimally experience a nature park. From a fundraising point of view: people will pay for either the application (in an App Store) or the hardware case. Disconnect certainly does not only focus on park visitors. It becomes a brand that could help anyone (temporarily) escape from daily life.
Disconnect
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EXAMPLE
Disconnect
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We can help people to disconnect, by offering them a mobile application that allows them disable all connections.
Disconnect
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Download and switch on the disconnect app and disable your phone’s connection.
No one will be able to disturb you.
To make sure that your contacts know that you are only taking a little break and won't be available for a while, a message is automatically posted to your Facebook or Twitter account to notify your friends about the fact you won’t be available for a while. Likewise, your phone’s voicemail message and email out of office reply are updated.
Equally, the same result can be reached with a “disconnecting� smartphone case.
Disconnect
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To many people, having the “right� smartphone case is (almost) as important as owning the right phone.
Disconnect
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Which is probably why there’s such a wide range of smartphone cases.
Some will provide you with extra battery power.
Others will turn your phone into a state of the art photo camera.
Disconnect
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And some will silence your phone, effectively blocking all connections.
Disconnect
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More than the app, the Disconnect case “communicates” you’re offline to the people you’re having a meeting or coffee with. A way to show respect to your interlocutor.
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CHECKLIST
Disconnect
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Disconnect app (1) Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Estimated budget for production: â‚Ź15.000 Disconnect
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Disconnect case (2) Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Estimated budget for production: â‚Ź20.000 Disconnect
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INSIGHT
Landscapes are permanently in motion. As much as you’d like to follow them closely, it’s nearly impossible.
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PARKLAPSE Connecting mobile photographers
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What’s the concept? Sometimes you just want to be able to permanently “follow” this beautiful view you come across. As we know that’s almost impossible to achieve alone (you’re simply not visiting the park every single day), we’re turning to social to make it happen. Share a photo of a place that you absolutely like and then ask others to take the exact same picture the next time they pass by. As such, you create an ever growing image slideshow of the place you want to follow. The app will be distributed for free. We will charge for product extensions such as the calendar.
Parklapse
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EXAMPLE
Parklapse
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While walking through a nature area, I load up a smartphone application.
Parklapse
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It shows me all the Parklapse spots nearby so I can quickly select the place I’m currently at.
Parklapse
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As I select the right Parklapse spot, a slideshow of previous photos is shown and I can add my own photo.
Parklapse
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A transparant layer shows the last photo taken, so I can easily adjust the camera.
Parklapse
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When I’m finished, my photo is added to the slideshow.
Parklapse
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Users that previously took a photo at the same place, will receive a notiďŹ cation.
Parklapse
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All Parklapse spots are collected on a centralised website, where I’m able to view the slideshows.
Parklapse
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Again, the concept shouldn’t be limited to Nature Areas only.
Parklapse
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One of the challenges however will be to remind people to use the application.
Parklapse
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These see-through QR-code stickers are placed on windows and allow you to quickly load up a particular Parklapse spot when you scan it with your mobile phone.
Parklapse
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Likewise, small marks placed inside parks will also notify you about popular parkspots nearby.
Parklapse
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Yet what is most important: we enable people to enjoy their favourite places. That’s why, apart from a smartphone application and website, we make it possible to turn your favourite slideshows into a permanent, printed, calendar.
Parklapse
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Parklapse
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CHECKLIST
Parklapse
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Parklapse Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Estimated budget for production: â‚Ź45.000 Parklapse
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3
INSIGHT
The fact a park is constantly in motion is a major point of attraction. Let's provide people with an exclusive ‘up to date’ view of the park.
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LIVE UPDATES The ranger layer
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What’s the concept? Who knows better about what’s happening in the park than the park rangers themselves? Let’s therefore experience the park through their eyes. We equip all park rangers with a smartphone and ask them to post messages and photos as they perform their daily activities or come across something remarkable. All this information is shown on a live map that shows what’s happening in the park at a certain point in time. Browsing and updating the maps is free. However, if you like to receive automatic updates or want to download the map for offline viewing, you’ll be charged.
Live updates
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EXAMPLE
Live updates
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On his trip through the park, ranger Bob just came across these wild pigs.
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He immediately takes a picture and shares it online.
Live updates
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a
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I can find Bob’s - as well as the other rangers’ - updates on a dedicated website.
Live updates
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Or receive an update while on the go.
a
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Not even the rangers can be everywhere at once, therefore new updates can be posted by anyone visiting the park.
Live updates
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Like the rangers, visitors use their mobile phone to add updates.
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On the “live map” website, I can choose whether I only want to see the rangers’ updates, the visitors’ updates or both.
Live updates
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CHECKLIST
Live updates
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Live updates Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Live updates
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INSIGHT
It is so much easier for me to donate money when I both know what I’m donating for and get to see how my money is being used.
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CONTRIBUTE Crowdfunding park management
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What’s the concept? Contribute is a crowdfunding based platform that allows both park owners as well as visitors to suggest and/or publish projects that need funding. Visitors are able to choose and contribute money to those projects that they personally prefer. They’re able to follow up results and will regularly receive email updates on the projects they’re supporting.
Contribute
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EXAMPLE
Contribute
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1 As I visit the Contribute website, I get to see an overview of the projects that are currently listed.
Contribute
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For each project, I can see who else donated and how much money is still needed.
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I select one or more projects that I like and donate an amount of money. I am now one of the project contributors. I can share my project with my friends.
2 I regularly receive updates about the status of the project.
3 Contribute
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Typically, the preparedness to give is much higher at the very moment when people are confronted with a speciďŹ c need.
Contribute
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I’ll be more likely to donate money to replace this bench right now, than later tonight.
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Point of care no.18
That’s why, apart from the Contribute website, a Contribute app let’s me quickly and easily donate money from my mobile phone. All I need to do is scan the little QR code next to the bench.
Contribute
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Contribute
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The right project page is loaded directly and I can instantly donate the amount of money that I would like to spend.
Contribute
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CHECKLIST
Contribute
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Contribute Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Estimated budget for production: â‚Ź75.000 Contribute
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INSIGHT
What if I don’t only see what I’m donating money for, but also get something in return?
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BUY A MILE
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What’s the concept? Donating money is so much more fun when you actually know what you’re spending it on. What if you’d not only be able to see what you’re giving money for, but you would be able to own it? Donate money to a piece of walking track and become its owner. And it doesn’t even stop there. Go one step further and actually invest in pieces of track: earn money as other people buy from you.
Buy a mile
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EXAMPLE
Buy a mile
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Visit the Buy A Mile website to choose your favourite part of walking track. Colours will indicate which parts are still available or have already been sold.
Buy a mile
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Select a part and donate to make it yours. You’ll receive a certiďŹ cate of ownership, including the exact GPS coordinates.
Buy a mile
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Additionally, a GPS-based mobile application can be used to tell you exactly which part of the track belongs to who.
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CHECKLIST
Buy a mile
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Buy a mile Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Buy a mile
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INSIGHT
As they often appear in a flash, let’s try to capture priceless moments forever.
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CAPTURE THE WOW
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What’s the concept? People love to share moments of happiness on social networks. What if they put their money where their mouth is and contribute a little donation every time they share one of those moments? Every time someone adds the hashtag #WOW to a message they share on social networks, they make a small donation.
Capture the wow
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These photos were downloaded from the “popular photos” section on Instragram, a mobile social network on Tuesday afternoon, 19/11/2011. They’re an example of how people are capturing and sharing the “wow” already.
Capture the wow
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EXAMPLE
Capture the wow
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First thing to do is to sign up on the Capture the wow (mobile) website, where I can connect to the different social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, ...) and select my payment provider (PayPal, Visa, ...).
Capture the wow
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I’m free to select the amount I want to donate for each #wow.
Capture the wow
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Next time I come across this view that I absolutely like ...
Capture the wow
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... I just quickly take my phone or camera ... 91
... and share my photo using the #wow hashtag. 92
Automatically, the money is taken from my account and donated.
Capture the wow
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CHECKLIST
Capture the wow
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Capture the wow Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Estimated budget for production: â‚Ź15.000 Capture the wow
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INSIGHT
More than anything else, photos allow you to completely relive an experience.
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MY BOOK Souvenir of a nice time
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What’s the concept? The problem today is not that we don’t take enough photos (since the rise of smartphone cameras, we’re taking more photos then ever), yet we leave them on the phone, camera or computer and no longer take the time to turn them into physical, permanent memories. The My book concept turns your walk into a permanent souvenir. In order to make sure you end up with a “story”, we create a guided experience: a Photo Walk map turns your walk into a photo quest and indicates interesting photo spots along the way. After your walk, you connect your smartphone/ camera to the Photo Walk kiosk in the parkshop. Select the photos you'd like to use and immediately have your own personalized photobook printed.
My Book
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EXAMPLE
My Book
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Explore the Photo Walk spots as they are indicated on a map ...
My Book
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... or on route marks.
My Book
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Whenever you come across a photo walk spot, a little mark will remind you to take a picture.
My Book
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Go ahead and walk for as long as you like, taking photos at the different Photo Walk spots.
My Book
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Pho to Wa lk kio sk
When you return to the park information centre, upload your photos into a specially designed printer, ďŹ lter the ones you’d like to leave out and immediately receive your own book.
My Book
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And pick up your book at the park’s information centre.
National Park
My y Book Book
1105 05
ALTERNATIVE
You like the book, but you don’t want to follow this obligatory walking track?
My Book
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What’s the concept? Obviously, you don’t necessarily have to follow the Photo Walk in order to have your book created. Take your own photos, we’ll make sure to turn them into a story. Making use of the GPS coordinates embedded in the photo, we’re able to reproduce the exact track you’ve been walking. As you upload your smartphone or camera photos, specially designed software will locate your photos and add relevant content. Thus helping you create a personalized photo book including location-based captions.
My Book
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EXAMPLE
My Book
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Take as many photos as you like while walking in the park.
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Upload them into the photo kiosk when you’ve finished your walk.
And again pick up your book at the park’s information centre.
National Park
CHECKLIST
My book
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My book Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Estimated budget for production: â‚Ź30.000 My book
113
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INSIGHT
Exploring nature using all kinds of apps may be a lot of fun, but it’ll also drain your battery.
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CHARGE BENCH
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What’s the concept? Battery usage of smartphones is pretty high compared to regular cell phones. Yet at the same time, we use those phones like never before. No surprise we come across charging stations at airports, schools and even in shops. However, as useful as they may be to visitors, we don’t want to pollute our nature parks with wiring and technological installations. The answer lies within a fully green and almost invisible charging station.
Charge bench
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EXAMPLE
Charge bench
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You just spent the afternoon taking pictures, posting them on Facebook and ended up with an empty battery.
Charge bench
119
Fortunately, you came across this solar powered charging bench.
Charge bench
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It allows you to quickly charge your device in return for a small donation.
Charge bench
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CHECKLIST
Charge bench
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Charge bench Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Charge bench
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INSIGHT
Although most Nature Park parking areas tend to be free, they’re services people are used to paying a fee for already.
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DONATORS ONLY
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What’s the concept? As we’re not able to employ traffic wardens or equip parking spaces, getting people to pay for parking their car is not an easy thing to do. While we don’t and won’t charge visitors to park their cars, we certainly appreciate their donations. In fact, we even reserve the best parking places for those who donate.
Donators only
126
EXAMPLE
Donators only
127
This is a pretty typical parking area close to a nature park. Parking my car here doesn’t cost me anything whatsoever.
And this is a donators only parking space.
However, anyone can quickly become a donator: just send an SMS and you’re good to go.
CHECKLIST
Donators only
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Donators only Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Mainly hardware, can’t be estimated at this time Donators only
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INSIGHT
We don’t always realize that certain things do cost money. Moreover, we might not realize that, when we embark on joined efforts, we can come a long way budget-wise.
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DONATOMETER
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What’s the concept? In order to get people to voluntarily contribute to a common goal, it is important to make it very clear why their contribution matters. On the one hand we indicate the amount of money required annually to maintain a parking place and on the other hand the amount that has already been collected so far. The Donatometer compares the considerable cost of maintaining a parking place to the small contribution visitors could make to collectively cover those costs.
Donatometer
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EXAMPLE
Donatometer
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Here’s one of the parking places we’d like to collect money for.
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â‚Ź29.980
The Donatometer shows visitors the total maintenance cost (green). In order to increase the total donations (red), you just need to send an SMS to a shortcode.
Donatometer
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â‚Ź29.980
Donatometer
â‚Ź29.990
Donatometer
CHECKLIST
Donatometer
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Donatometer Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Mainly hardware, can’t be estimated at this time Donatometer
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INSIGHT
Let’s turn a parking ticket into a mutual beneďŹ t for both park owners and local catering.
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PARCOUPON
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While park visitors do spend money, it rarely ends up beneďŹ ting the park owner.
Drawing inspiration from German public toilets, we searched for a solution.
What’s the concept? As a lot of the commercial benefits are flowing to bars and restaurants nearby the parks rather than the parks themselves, we would like those local merchants to reimburse a fair share of their profits. We ask visitors to voluntarily buy a ₏1 parking ticket, which can be used as a coupon at any of the participating local bars and restaurants. Not only are we collecting funds for park maintenance, we’re also generating leads for local catering as well.
Parcoupon
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EXAMPLE
Parcoupon
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Machines nearby parking spaces allow you to voluntarily buy a ticket.
Tickets that you’re able to use at any of the participating bars and restaurants.
Hand in your coupon and receive a discount.
CHECKLIST
Parcoupon
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Parcoupon Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Mainly hardware, can’t be estimated at this time Parcoupon
154
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INSIGHT
Going for a walk is only half as fun without a beer or coffee afterwards. If you’ve “deserved” it, obviously.
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(B)EARN CALORIES
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What’s the concept? To many people, a coffee/beer and piece of apple pie is a part of the Nature Park experience. “Bearn calories� combines both the tiring hiking and the relaxing coffee break. Walk as long as you possibly can, meanwhile unlocking coupons from participating merchants. A mobile application tracks the number of steps you make. The longer you walk, the more calories you burn, the more coupons you can unlock (and use at nearby bars and restaurants). Local bars and restaurants advertise within the application in order to attract consumers to their premises.
Bearn calories
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EXAMPLE
Bearn calories
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As you start your walk, you also activate the mobile application.
It’ll keep track of your steps (and calories) and reward you as soon as you’ve burned enough calories.
The more calories you burn, the bigger your reward. It’s really that simple.
Visit the local restaurant and enjoy your piece of apple pie.
CHECKLIST
Bearn calories
167
Bearn calories Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Estimated budget for production: â‚Ź20.000 Bearn calories
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13
INSIGHT
As collecting kilometers doesn’t really appeal to children, let’s have them collect something else instead.
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TREASURE HUNT
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What’s the concept? Walking through a nature area soon ends up being rather boring for small children, we offer them an additional reason to keep walking. Rather than crunching kilometers, we let them explore the park. Keep your eyes open for anything around you and start searching for plants and flowers, animals, ... Users are able to play a limiting number of games for free. Additional games can be bought through in-app purchases. Aimed at (annoying) small children, the app would typically be bought by parents.
Treasure hunt
171
EXAMPLE
Treasure hunt
172
During your walk, you come across these ferns. One of the plants you were looking for.
You quickly load up your smartphone app ...
... and indicate you just found the ferns.
The application will provide you with some additional information ...
... and ask you for some proof.
Well done! Now go and ďŹ nd the other plants.
To make things even more exciting, the Treasure Hunt application also lets you compete with your friends.
Treasure hunt
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Find out how your friends are doing ... and make sure you’re always better.
Treasure hunt competition
CHECKLIST
Treasure hunt
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Treasure hunt Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Estimated budget for production: â‚Ź30.000 Treasure hunt
182
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INSIGHT
As children often have a rather unrealistic view of nature, a visit to a real park might turn out to be a disappointment.
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ANIMAL PROOF
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As this is how children often view nature ...
... you can’t really blame them for being disappointed when they see this.
What’s the concept? While you can certainly enjoy flowers, trees and plants, it’s often a whole lot more difficult to spot wild animals. That’s a pitty really. Fortunately, the Animal Proof app uses augmented reality to make sure you’ll see exactly those animals you were looking for. A basic version of the application is available for free. Additional animals can be bought through in-app purchases: again usually parents will buy them for their children.
Animal proof
187
EXAMPLE
Animal proof
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This is a typical nature park view ... without the animals.
So let’s take the smartphone ...
... and magically display some animals. Position, capture and share your photos.
Or choose one of the other animals.
CHECKLIST
Animal proof
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Animal proof Personal score:
VERY LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
/10 VERY HIGH
Budget
Feasibility
Scalability Impact on organization Technical complexity Communication or PR value Legal impact
Estimated budget for production: â‚Ź30.000 Animal proof
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Ine Van der Stock Project owner, Regionaal Landschap Kempen en Maasland vzw
+32 89 65 56 59 ine@rlkm.be
Carl De Mey Account Director, Boondoggle Bright
+32 474 80 84 50 carl.demey@boondoggle.eu
Š Erwin Christis