Here at Libris, we are always looking for ways to inspire organizations to communicate visually. And in the middle of our Monday lunch break, we stumbled on one of our member organizations doing just that.
I Love New York is going beyond Twitter and Instagram, and taking its photos and videos to the streets with what they call “The POD.”
The POD is a mobile, interactive pop-up that shows off New York’s most popular destinations. The I Love NY team says its goal is to help people find new places to visit in the state through fun and interactive experiences.
Photos and videos play a key role in the POD experience.
“Photos and videos are essential in describing and communicating one’s experience,” said Gavin Landry, Executive Director of Tourism for Empire State Development. “It gives the user the ability to be an influencer and share the experience or knowledge of what they have just done. It goes back to the old adage that every picture tells a story. If we can capture the beauty the State has to offer in a frame and share it, it’s one of the best ways to inspire visitors to experience it for themselves.”
Passersby who come across the POD can…
…Test their knowledge of New York tourist destinations. This display flashes a photo, and you guess where it was taken.
…Find new places to visit. Interactive screens let you click a spot on a map, enter your preferences for museums or beaches, zoom in to check them out, and save and send your preferences to yourself.
…And see just what they might look like if they traveled to one of New York’s top tourist destinations. You pose for photos in front of the green screen, and I Love New York magically transports you to another destination.
Bonus, they send you the snapshot of your green screen adventure to another part of the state.
Now Megumi Wakui, who was visiting New York City from Japan, also has a snapshot of her virtual trip to Chittenango Falls State Park, Central NY!
What a cool way to use I Love New York’s amazing photos and videos to fuel the organization’s mission. The Pod catches your attention, and invites you to engage with its awesome visual content. Then, it sends content you created there straight to your inbox, encouraging you to share and – better yet – visit the places you visited on the green screen in real life.
“The response has been tremendously positive,” said Landry. “Through our engagement, 68% of those who visited the POD learned something new and are very likely to plan a trip in New York State.”
The POD travels all over the state for most of the summer and fall. Next stop: The Hudson Valley Garlic Festival.
All of the photos on the Pod and still content on the monitors were distributed using PhotoShelter. PhotoShelter for Brands is a visual asset management solution that helps organizations get the most from their photos and videos.
All photos in this post were taken by Fernando Gomes.
