Audi is leveraging its rights as the headline sponsor of the FIS Ski World Cup with a new initiative to film and digitally map all the best ski slopes of the world called ‘Slopedia’.
Essentially this is a web and app platform, by Stockholm-based Åkestam Holst for Audi, that aims to enable skiers all around the world to discover and explore new slopes in a new way.
Encouraging consumer contributions with a ‘Be The First To Claim Your Slopes!’ call-to-action‘, the platform relies on user generated content to populate an interactive map of the world.
Ski enthusiasts are encouraged to film their journey down the piste and then upload the video to the site.
Each video can then be tagged with the exact location of the run.
The project is promoted through online video
and via Facebook, as well as across digital skiing sites and cyber word-of-mouth.
A series of ‘digital graded badges’ are awarded to participants: for instance a Pioneer Badge is earned by any user who uploads five videos from five different resorts, while a ‘Launch Control Badge’ is awarded to anyone mapping three different slopes in their first week as a member.
There is a further competition-style incentivisation for consumers to populate the project: the member who uploads the most videos throughout the FIS World Cup season wins an Audi A3.
The project targets a blend of ‘ski addicts who love to record their performances’ and ‘fans of the FIS Ski World Cup’ and aims is to offer them .
The platform itself is a pure and clear web-based tool that, like Audi itself, employs the very latest technology trends such as 3D map navigation. As well as taking technology approach with synergies to the car brand, the colour palette also matches that of Audi.
Comment
Audi, which has been the title sponsor of the Audi FIS (Federation International De Ski) Ski World Cup since the 2002/2003 season, is aiming to turn its long term support and commitment into a community engagement platforms and branded utility.
Initially this platform appears straightforward to use and provides fresh slope profiles and information that is seldom available.
Audi says that this is a long term project that will expand and grow as it becomes more populated season-by-season.
Whether Slopedia inspires competitive ski and tech enthusiasts through badges and a grand prize, or provides a useful pre ski trip tool for those about to hit the slopes may depend upon whether it builds a sufficient sense of community and social spirit.
Links
Slopedia Website
Slopedia Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Slopedia
Slopedia Introduction YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ino0OMRfF1I
Audi Ski World Cup Website
FIS Website
