NATIONAL PARKS
Challenge
In 2018 only six percent of visitors to national parks identified as Black. That number has not changed since the 1960’s.
Brief
Implement a three-tiered plan to increase the presence of Black people at national parks.
Overall Approach
Define the process used by Black people for choosing travel destinations. Design three campaigns to insert national parks into that process.
Tier 1: "Ask Me Anything" with park employees
Insight
Most Black people have specific desires for vacations, and being unfamiliar with national parks, do not think those desires will be met.
Strategy
Create an informational campaign where people’s questions about national parks are answered live by park employees.
Execution
An “Ask Me Anything” session is simultaneously broadcast on Facebook Live and in public spaces in major cities. Leading up to the event, posters and billboards direct people to the live locations or to the Facebook page. During the event, park employees, like Park Ranger Shelton Johnson, answer live and pre-recorded questions. Segments of the live recording are posted on social media channels and digital billboards, following the live event.
Tier 2: Perception vs. Reality
Insight
Many Black people have concerns, such as insects, weather, and sleeping arrangements, that cause them to see national parks as less desirable.
Strategy
Create posters to challenge and dispel commonly preconceived notions about national parks vacations.
Execution
The posters addressing common concerns appear in urban centers and direct people to find more information online. The website includes a comprehensive list of misconceptions, in addition to information about nearby locations.
Tier 3: Tranquility while you wait
Insight
Sometimes, “seeing is believing” is the best approach.
Strategy
Virtually place prospective vacationers in a national park or national monument to illustrate firsthand what they are missing.
Execution
Ads at bus stops and other queueing locations bear QR codes that lead to augmented reality experiences. Complete with nature sounds and a meditative voice, each AR experience is orchestrated to last as long as the average wait time for its respective location. As the user waits in line, the soothing voice track informs them that the national park that they are virtually experiencing is within a four-hour drive of their current location. The end of the experience provides them with a link to a website with all the information necessary to plan a national park vacation.
Try Tranquility While You Wait…