Overview

In the end of 2021, the Mets approached my team at OGK Creative with a challenge: rejuvenate their center field fan zone--a space comprising a bar, wiffle ball field, team store, and restaurants. Their vision was twofold; develop an immersive experience for fans of all demographics, and bolster revenue generation. Although the environmental design scope was spearheaded by other OGK teammates, I took on the role of ideating and presenting interactive elements that would seamlessly blend enjoyment with profitability.

Objectives

1. Design an experience appealing to a broad audience, irrespective of age or gender.
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2. Integrate an avenue for revenue generation within this experience.
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Objective 1: A Universally Enjoyable Experience

Collectibles have timeless appeal. From the thrill of a child's first baseball card to the nostalgia an older fan feels with memorabilia, these tangible memories often hold deep sentimental value. Amplifying this sentiment, I posed a thought: What if we granted fans the magic of being the star player, transposed into any iconic moment in Mets history? The concept was simple yet compelling.

Fans would craft their own baseball card, choosing from options like player positions, poses, and Mets jerseys from various eras. It needed to be simple and easy enough to understand for all ages and technical background, so we went with familiar patterns for these kinds of experiences. The user first starts the experience and strikes a pose:

And then once the photo is taken they are able to customize their card. We allow them to choose the uniform and decade first, providing touch points for bat, helmet or hat, uniform, name, number, and position. As you can see they can also navigate through the decades to find their favorite uniform in Met's history, and tap Preview to see the card so far without the UI.

The experience's versatility means fans can return multiple times, curating a unique set of their own cards - today they're the star pitcher from the 80s, next week they're an outfielder from the 2000s.

Objective 2: The Revenue Catalyst

The heart of this experience was the ‘minting’ of the card. While fans were immersed in crafting their card, the tangible take-away was the printed version of their creation.

We strategically allowed fans to navigate the experience without immediate financial commitment, removing any potential entry barriers. But to materialize their digital creation? That involved a visit to the store to print it on authentic baseball card stock.This model served dual purposes:

1. It introduced a revenue stream via the minting process.

2. By positioning the minting station inside of the store, we inadvertently increased footfall within the store. With fans already in the shopping mindset, the likelihood of additional purchases increased, indirectly boosting revenue.

To Recap

The Mets' marketing team was highly receptive to the 'Mint-A-Met' concept. Though the project is currently on pause, it was an awesome journey working with a prominent sports organization, allowing me to delve into new dimensions of sports marketing and interactive installation experiences.