PROMOTING MARKETS THAT WORK FOR PEOPLE AND NATURE

Bird-focused ecotourism to boost economies while protecting habitat.

WHAT WE DID

Strategy

Video Direction & Production

Graphic Design

The Challenge
People that struggle to put food on the table now don’t have the luxury to think about sustainability. Around the world, scarce income opportunities often lead to rapid declines in local natural resources. Ecotourism is one alternative that can boost livelihoods while protecting habitat. And with an estimated 48 million birdwatchers in the US alone, bird-related ecotourism is an area ripe for further development. With funding from the Inter-American Development Bank, The National Audubon was building an ecotourism project aimed to increase the market for bird-based tourism in countries across Latin America and the Caribbean. But any successful ecotourism project needs ecotourists. They asked for our help.

The Solution
We produced marketing materials designed to leverage Audubon’s vast network of avid birdwatchers. Our goal was to generate new interest in sites perhaps not previously considered top birdwatching destinations. We urged intrepid birders to ditch the crowds and seek their own adventures far from the beaten hiking trails. Working within funding constraints that didn’t allow for travel to capture media, we used available Audubon-owned content and stock media to create videos with a call to adventure. Digital map brochures rich in bird imagery pointed the way to newly developed trails and encouraged travelers to hire local guides trained by Audubon bird experts, enhancing their birding experience while providing nature-friendly jobs for locals.

TRAVEL TO WHERE BIRDING MEANS BUSINESS

THE VIDEOS

Using Audubon’s existing content and stock media, we produced videos for each of the four countries in the ecotourism project: Paraguay, Belize, Guatemala, and the Bahamas. We tailored videos for an audience likely to consider birding opportunities when deciding where to travel.

THE DIGITAL MAPS

We created digital maps for each of six birdwatching sites with versions in English and Spanish. Maps were designed to be both promotional and utilitarian, enticing would-be visitors while providing useful information for those ready to embark on their exploration.