College Football Hall of Fame
Atlanta
Located in the diverse hub of Atlanta, the College Football Hall of Fame invites football fans to experience their favorite teams and players like never before with interactive displays and games that make guests feel like part of the team.
With each purchased ticket, visitors receive an All-Access Pass credential with a chip inside that stores all their museum experiences inside a digital “locker.” Once they register their pass with their football team of choice, the pass automatically brings personalized content right onto the screens in front of them as they move through the exhibits.
“It allows fans to immerse themselves in college football history on a whole new level,” said Dennis Adamovich, CEO of the Hall of Fame.
One of these exhibits is the Coco-Cola Fans Game Day Experience, which caters to the passion and loyalty of the fans themselves by showing the world of football through their perspectives. In this area, fans can paint their faces digitally, sing their favorite team’s fight song in a karaoke challenge or join ESPN hosts Chris Fowler and Desmond Howard via green screen for a game day analysis.
They can later share these interactive experiences with friends on social media so that “each person becomes their own broadcast tower,” according to Adamovich. Since the Hall of Fame is always at the heart of sports events in Atlanta, the museum also builds a bridge of communication with fans by updating them on upcoming special guests or events.
Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Spread across 3,000 acres of rolling Kentucky countryside, Shaker Village was once home to the third-largest Shaker community in the country. Today, Shaker Village often uses social media platforms like Instagram to connect modern crowds with the property’s rich history.
“We’re trying to tell Shaker stories in a contemporary way,” said Rebecca Redding, creative marketing manager for the village.
During the fall of 2016, the village opened a Shaker Selfie exhibit, which demonstrates how self-documentation was just as important to past cultures as it is today, although modern technology has made it easier. With black-and-white photos of Shaker families and homes on display, the exhibit reveals the hidden stories, hopes and daily concerns behind these mysterious faces from another time while encouraging visitors to take selfies throughout the grounds as well.
“The Shakers were a progressive group of people, so it’s in the Shaker way to use technology and whatever comes next,” said Redding.
Village staff also plan to install displays in the welcome center so that people can see their pictures and posts pop up on the screen instantly when using the Shaker Village hashtag. In addition, these screens will draw attention to the beautiful trails and other parts of the property that people sometimes overlook, since there is so much to explore.
Hotel Vandivort
Springfield, Missouri
When the Hotel Vandivort opened in 2015, the staff never expected the bathrooms to become one of its key attractions. Before long, guests began noticing that the bathrooms produced the perfect conditions for flattering selfie photos, and the hashtag #Hotel VandivortSelfie was born.
“It’s the lighting,” said Tessa Diehl, director of sales and marketing at the hotel. “And we have this beautiful deep maroon backdrop, so the combination of the two makes for beautiful photos.”
People in the area quickly rallied around the concept. The bathrooms now play a role in community scavenger hunts, prom pictures, engagement parties, trolley tours and more. Some locals even consider the venue a must-see in Springfield.
“The funny story is that we almost replaced those fixtures because we felt they were a bit too bright for the small space,” said Diehl. “But when the advent of the selfie took off, we knew we couldn’t touch it.”
The Vandivort embraced the selfie craze by introducing a new feature to its website called “Your Story,” which pulls user-generated content directly onto the site when people use the hashtag or check in online. This interactive element allows hotel guests to broadcast their experiences, and those interested in booking a room can view personal images and descriptions.
