Nice integrated storescape uses social and interactive to promote tourism

July 9, 2010 by Dave Haynes

This is really nice by the looks of it, and not just because it humps my fair home and native land.

As flagged on the PSFK website:

The Canadian Tourism Commission teamed up with DDB Vancouver to develop an interactive campaign to engage the cities of Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles in a playfully innovative way. The agency rolled out “digital storescapes” (a.k.a. Twitter-based murals) with a comprehensive engagement strategy that utilizes Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and a street team as platforms, enticing Americans to ‘keep exploring’ by considering travel to Canada.

The murals feature touchscreen interfaces that centralize tourist buzz by displaying live tweets and photos from travelers in Canada. This creates the opportunity for potential customers to not only become exposed to other travelers’ experience, but also to browse through authentic commentary and have a customized branded experience.

Digital store-scape, street-level interactive stuff is costly and very involved, but when it is done right it really works well. The large format vinyl print makes the project so much bigger but integrates with the screens. On their own, those screens would not have anywhere near the impact.

I also like the focused use of Twitter and other social feeds, as opposed to “Tweet something and it will show up on here!!!” The only people interested in that are the Tweeters, but a lot of passersby will be drawn by images and messages of Americans traveling through Canada and reeling from our strong beer (a whole 1/2% stronger …woohoo!)