ADVENTURES IN HIPSTERDOM
Company: Self
Project Role: Creative Strategist and Puzzle Maker
THE OPPORTUNITY:
Halloween in New York City is usually one of the most fun nights of the year. However, traditional celebrations were out of the question with the coronavirus still wildly raging across the city.
I wanted to create an experiential way for friends and strangers to carouse and enjoy Halloween while remaining safe and socially distant, and that would benefit our local Brooklyn communities.
THE SOLUTION:
The Adventures in Hipsterdom scavenger hunt took place across multiple Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Bushwick, and Bedstuy. People assembled teams of 5-7 people based on three requirements: 1) be themed, 2) be costumed, and 3) be on bikes, with prizes for the best costumes and bike decorations, along with other surprise and delight prizes along the way.
The Adventures in Hipsterdom scavenger hunt took place across multiple Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Bushwick, and Bedstuy. People assembled teams of 5-7 people based on three requirements: 1) be themed, 2) be costumed, and 3) be on bikes, with prizes for the best costumes and bike decorations, along with other surprise and delight prizes along the way.
Each team received a list of 200+ items to find and interactive tasks to perform. Items on the lists included physical objects (e.g., an electronic hotel key, a package of non-standard Kit Kat flavors); photo moments (e.g., find a Zombie Ruth Bader Ginsburg, pets in costumes, inappropriately sexy costumes); and activities (e.g., slow dance with a stranger, find a person with the same birthday as someone on your team.)
Teams were directed via SMS messages throughout the evening to appear at specific locations for team-on-team challenges. These challenges allowed teams chances to win additional points and brought the groups together to enjoy warm beverages, connect, and play.
Additionally, participants could see unique parts of the city by solving riddles leading to custom-QR code stickers hidden around town. The puzzles served as an additional way for teams to earn points and offer a different type of experience for people who didn’t want to interact with strangers as much.
THE OUTCOME:
More than 60 people participated in the scavenger hunt, creating a memorable interactive Halloween experience for each other and for the people they interacted with throughout Brooklyn.
The event raised over $800 for The Campaign Against Hunger, a Brooklyn-based food bank.