Gamifying winter cycling

Gamifying winter cycling

Intro & History Alex Snyder Urban Studies Masters student at University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee Lead Volunteer of the Milwaukee Bicycle Collective

Intro & History Jason McDowell Creative Director for OnMilwaukee, an entertainment magazine for the city. President of the Milwaukee Bicycle Collective PHOTO: SVDODGE

Intro & History Milwaukee Bicycle Collective A non-profit bicycle resource center. Started in 2002 One of the oldest in the country Our mission is to get more people on bicycles

Intro & History Milwaukee Bicycle Collective Programs include: Earn a bike Youth Program Volunteer Training Recycle a Bicycle PHOTO: BIKECOLLECTIVE

Goals To promote winter cycling through gamification In this discussion: Where we started What is the Winter Bike Challenge? What problems does it solve? How does it help promote cycling? What we can do to make it better?

Event goals Simplify Offload the promotional workload Lengthen brand exposure and engagement Get people out on the bike PHOTO: REBELWIPES

The Milwaukee Winter Bike Challenge 1 season 5-months 25 mini-challenges Like a scavenger hunt It s not about mileage It s not about speed It s about getting out there and giving it a try. ILLUSTRATION: LITTLE TINY FISH

How it works Participants get laminated Challenge Board Take a selfie, post to social network, tag #mbcwbc 1 challenge a week. Participate for free or pay. Payment goes towards prize jacket competition.

X number of winners recieve exclusive mid-weight cycling jacket (where X = amount we can afford) Random drawing from all winners Completion without winning can still purchase jacket at regular price. #winning?

About the challenges Meetups Monthly Snow Cold weather Advocacy + PHOTO: JREGAN

About the challenges Group Solo Long Short Sponsored PHOTO: CAITLINDYAN

Challenge #1 Meetup: Great Lakes Distillery Get started Tuesday, Novemeber 3 6:30-9:00PM Free/$20 PHOTO: @MACEMKE

Challenge #2 It s officially winter Photo with a thermometer reading below 32 degrees fahrenheit. PHOTO: BRETT T. COALMER

Challenge #3 The road less traveled Photo of bike tracks on an unplowed street. PHOTO: @SK8RKELKEL

Challenge #4 Visit the Milwaukee Bicycle Collective Hours and location: http://bikecollective.bike PHOTO: CHARRISCRNA

Challenge #5 Cross this off your list Watch/ride a Cyclocross race. Check the schedule, the season ends in Jan. (Urban Jungle Cross counts!) PHOTO: MIKEFRANKCOOK

Challenge #6 Meetup: Santa Cycle Rampage Lakefront Brewery Saturday, December 5 11:00AM-4:00PM PHOTO: SVDODGE

Challenge #7 Sneck it down a notch An interesting sneckdown (curb extension caused by snowfall). Details: wikipedia.org/wiki/ Sneckdown

Challenge #8 Hate Street Photo with the street you hate most. Tell us why it s the worst. PHOTO: TAMMY_VANDENHEUVEL

Challenge #9 We re gonna need a bigger plow The tallest pile of snow you can find. We just wanna see big piles. PHOTO: JIMHARRISMKE

Challenge #10 Dec the Hols December only: Ride to a different neighborhood and find a row of 3 houses with holiday decorations. PHOTO: BICYCLESONICE

Challenge #11 Meetup: Mitchell Park Domes Winter Farmer s Market. Sunday, January 17 12:00PM PHOTO: BIKECOLLECTIVE

Challenge #12 Layer slayer All the layers you wear in the winter. Tell us why. Bicycle not required in this pic. PHOTO: AMY KAZILSKY

Challenge #13 5 is a crowd Ride with 4 other friends. At least one person must be of the opposite sex. PHOTO: JIMHARRISMKE

Challenge #14 Welcome to Camp Agnolo Go camping and take a photo of your setup.

Challenge #15 Coffee? Tea? Monster? Drink coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or whatever you prefer, but do it outside. PHOTO: THEMOBILEBIKEWERX

Challenge #16 Secret Meetup Meetup: Leap Year Monday, February 29 12:00PM (Location TBA: bikecollective.bike/ winterbikechallenge)

Challenge #17 Winter beard Photo of your beard/scarf/ balaclava covered in ice. PHOTO: JWMWI

Challenge #18 Keep looking at the skis Your favorite view of the skyline. PHOTO: JREGAN

Challenge #19 Cycle snow angel Make a snow angel and make it look like it s riding a bike. PHOTO: LITTLETINYFISH

Challenge #20 Velo-tine February only: Deliver a valentine to the person you love most (by bike, of course).

Challenge #21 Meetup: Lakeshore State Park Saturday, March 26 12PM PHOTO: CHRIS HART

Challenge #22 St. Pedal-trick s day March only: Photo with a leprechaun

Challenge #23 Advocato Write a phyiscal letter to your representative asking for better bike infrastructure. Ride to the post office to mail it.

Challenge #24 Resist rust Cleaning those hard to reach places on your bike. Include the sponsor hashtag #rebelwipes PHOTO: COASTINBIKES

Challenge #25 Snap into a safety band Dan E. Goldberg safety band w/ helmet. Get from 725 N. Water St., Ste. 1120 (9A-5P, M-F). Include: #wibikelaw PHOTO: CAITLINDYAN

Accessibility Can skip up to 5 challenges Gender inclusive Does not require any money to participate Kid-friendly Engaged BGDB and RGBMKE PHOTO: LKMOY

Winter Bike Zine Online FAQ Email newsletter winterbikechallenge@gmail. com Support

Demographics Party riders at the kickoff 27 women 39 men Serious cyclists engaged the challenges PHOTO: LITTLETINYFISH

How is this supported? Competing participants contributed $20/ea, totalling over $660. 3 major sponsors contributed $500 -WiBikeLaw.com -Great Lakes Distillery joined after opening night -Rebel Converting doubled their contribution Bike Collective donated $500 Record fundraising ($3060)

Sponsor benefits 5-months of shared brand engagement Includes inherent social shares Logo placement on the jacket Logo placement on the challenge board + PHOTO: REBELWIPES

Their own sponsored challenge Extra swag to giveaway if they want (magnets, goody bags, product placement, etc.) Sponsor survey Sponsor benefits

Lessons & Improvements Get email address and use them Push updates on the web Create Facebook events Schedule content Start planning earlier Less expensive prize = more winners June Court sponsors July Design elements and concieve challenges August Secure sponsors and venue September Proofread materials and think about pitfalls October Print materials

Success? Simplify Don t have to beg dozens of sponsors (only a few) No organizing speakers No building Ferris Wheels Offload promotional work/increase brand engagement Particpants post one picture a week for 5 months, engaging friends with our brand Sponsors provided peripheral materials (venue, bags, magnets) +

Get people out on the bike All photos publicly viewable Instagram and Twitter pretty straightforward Facebook curated Success?

Credits Alex Snyder alexander.n.snyder@gmail.com Jason McDowell littletinyfish@littletinyfish.com Milwaukee Bicycle Collective http://bikecollective.bike @bikecollective