REi x nps immersive experience
When faced with the assignment to create an experiential campaign for the outdoor brand REI, the first thing that came to mind was the National Park Service (NPS). The brands have worked closely in the past, in fact, REI donates annually to NPS and you can even use an REI receipt to get into national parks. Let's take a look at the strategy and campaign.
Objective
Create and experience that will increase exposure to REI adventures
Problem
People in the city don't get out into nature enough to need REI products
Target
Millennial-Aged
Urban Adventurers
Insight
People today are afraid of adventure
Strategy
Drive people to start their next adventure by bringing the great outdoors to them
So, what's the deal with Millennials?
Although millennials tend to get much flack for being unprepared for life, they are a generation driven by change, particularly when it comes to the environment.
90% of millennials are trying to reduce their personal impact on the environment. They don’t believe businesses and governments are as firmly committed, and many are pushing their own employers to take action.
-Deloitte
Additionally, throughout our research, we found that "visitors no longer desire just an experience and knowledge, they also want the experience to be meaningful, life-changing and to create longer-lasting memories."
-International Journal of Tourism Research
In regards to experiential advertising, we found that "the appearance of originality attracts millennials to an event, and to entice this particular market, museums have to fill their galleries and exhibits not only with experiences but also unique, time-limited features.”
-Director of the Augusta Museum of History
Target
Millennial-Aged Ubran Adventurers
REI already donates annually to many climate action organizations, but furthering the donations through a limited-time experience will make millennials flock as they feel they want their experiences to be part of something bigger, something with meaning. This will in-turn increase exposure.
3 in 4 people say that when they push themselves to be more adventurous, it actually makes them feel happier, which leads us to our insight:
People today are afraid of adventure
On average, Americans spend $2,075.28 on adventurous activities every year. So, what's another $5 if it goes towards something you believe in and you get to experience something cool? New experiences are waiting
Studies found that 61% of people are waiting until retirement to start adventuring. But why wait? The truth about living in the moment lies in our strategy:
Drive people to start their next adventure by bringing the great outdoors to them
The Good Stuff
Welcome to Soho, now home to three National Parks!
Our journey starts at the REI flagship store in Soho NY, where the immersive experience would be held. The building itself mimics that of a museum while also having a designated space for outdoor activity training to utilize. The experience would have a low entree fee, and all proceeds will be donated to climate change foundations.
Why NYC?
Why NPS?
We chose New York City as the location for our immersive experience because it has a high population of millennial-aged individuals. Additionally, New Yorkers rarely have the chance to see the beauty outside of the city.
It’s no secret that REI and the NPS work together. In fact, you can actually use an REI receipt as an entry pass for many National Parks. This proves that REI’s products cater to the same audience as National Park goers, while increasing exposure to some of the outdoor adventure programs REI provides that involve the National Park Service.
Glacier Park
This immersion Room would be temperate controlled and chilly, so there will be corresponding merchandise to try on before entrance.
This immersion room would have rotating temperatures to represent the changing climate at Zion throughout the year! The merch associated would be hiking related since that is Zion's main attraction!
Zion Park
White Sands
This immersion room would be very hot to reflect the White Sands climate. The merch associated would include ice-cold water bottles because water is a definite must when visiting the dunes.
Outside of the rooms
The outside of each immersive room will be a stark white to reinforce the museum experience we are trying to create.
Merchandise
Social Media Promo
Social media is a vital aspect of advertising any brand. We would start our experience with a series of teasers for the event.
OOH Promo
We also want to advertise around the city to get the word out. They mirror the social media posts but contain more information on the graphic itself like time and place.
Sources and Attributions:
“The Deloitte Global 2022 Gen Z and Millennial Survey.” Deloitte, https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/genzmillennialsurvey.html?id=gx%3A2ps%3A3gl%3Amgzs22%3A5GC1000068%3Aawa%3Acons%3A052322%3Amillennials+in+the+workplace%3Ab%3Ac&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2MWVBhCQARIsAIjbwoOstO3_jmMtI0jDlIAF9FnypHnV-WMMD6te7CRgBr_46--K17jZbOYaAk1NEALw_wcB.
Rei. “Rei Sets up Camp in New York with Soho Location.” REI, REI, 7 Apr. 2022, https://www.rei.com/newsroom/article/rei-sets-up-camp-in-new-york-with-soho-location.
Daly, Ed. “Why People Love Immersive, Interactive Experiences – and How You Can Create Amazing Ones.” Digital Arts, https://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/features/interactive-design/why-people-love-immersive-interactive-experiences-how-you-can-create-amazing-ones/.
Good News Network. “68% Of Americans Want to Be More Adventurous – Here Are the Traits They're Trying to Nurture Most.” Good News Network, 18 Aug. 2019, https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/what-makes-you-adventurous-and-how-to-be-more-so/.
Swns. “The Top Signs You're an Adventurous Person, According to Research.” Medium, Medium, 12 Aug. 2019, https://swns-research.medium.com/the-top-signs-youre-an-adventurous-person-according-to-research-eb1d6c6c8d3.
Strategy/Copywriting: Sarah Stork
Art Direction: Aly Berry