TURNING A CONTRACT PROPOSAL RESPONSE INTO AN IMMERSIVE DIGITAL EXPERIENCE

My client is a top tier organization in the sports concessions business, constantly responding to contract invitations. These are traditionally printed proposals in custom packaging with strong visual themes. The information would be presented in tabbed binders to match response requirements accurately. Sometimes they did not have constraints in their response strategy and were able to leverage creativity to stand apart from their competitors.

THE CHALLENGE

TEST VARIOUS DIGITAL FORMATS FOR PROPOSAL DELIVERY

As the principal designer on the project, my initial task was to test multiple design formats with the internal business development team. These concepts ranged from interactive PDF on a flash drive, to password protected website approaches. The iPad touch interactivity and multimedia capabilities made it the best choice to deliver a compelling message in a dramatic way.

THE STORY

Whenever my client pitches for a sports concessions contract, it is critical to thematically align the client with the brand they are pitching, to demonstrate that their goals are one in the same with the teams objectives, creating a fan-first experience that elevates the in-game experience. In this case, “Destination Minute Maid Park” harnessed the idea of turning the baseball stadium into a special place to visit amongst Houston’s many entertainment options. The food service entertainment options were demonstrated through interactive menus, menuboards, and renderings of the suites and clubs amongst other visual experiences.

THE IDEA

Create a digital delivery format for the contract proposal response. The first such application was the Food and Beverage Service at Minute Maid Park, home of the World Champion Houston Astros.

MY ROLE

I led the conceptual development, interactive design, programming and art direction of the project. The problem was we only had 45 days to take our concept design and turn it into 10 customized iPads to deliver to executives at the Houston Astros.

THE APPROACH

The design approach was to create a digital simulation of a printed proposal experience with all of the added benefits offered by iPads, motion upon touch, touch gestures, animation builds, subtle animation and sound design.

THE AUDIENCE

Our audience is Senior VP and C-Suite Executives who are used to reviewing work in traditional, printed formats. It was determined that the gains by proceeding with the iPad format were worth the risks. The proposal included a simulation for a Luxury Suites App within the iPad. Using this format we were able to explore simulations of technology offerings and amplified those messages. From a usability standpoint we were able to mitigate risks with carefully written instructional microcopy to establish where to start, and the ability to swipe and scroll.

THE PROCESS

I made the decision to leverage Hype, an early HTML5 tool to build the (8) eight tabs to disseminate the 90+ pages of printed copy into a digestible digital format.
Detailed and dynamic visual design was mandatory to this experience to create enriching and immersive storytelling.

THE STORY

Whenever my client pitches for a sports concessions contract, it is critical to thematically align the client with the brand they are pitching, to demonstrate that their goals are one in the same with the teams objectives, creating a fan-first experience that elevates the in-game experience. In this case, “Destination Minute Maid Park” harnessed the idea of turning the baseball stadium into a special place to visit amongst Houston’s many entertainment options. The food service entertainment options were demonstrated through interactive menus, menuboards, and renderings of the suites and clubs amongst other visual experiences.