📍 Background

Echoes of the Wild was developed as a purpose-led marketing concept aimed at bridging emerging technologies (AR/VR) with wildlife conservation storytelling. The goal was to create an immersive digital experience that builds empathy for endangered species by placing audiences in their natural habitats using augmented and virtual reality tools.

Our idea combined mobile-accessible AR, VR installations for museums and schools, and interactive digital campaigns. The vision: to bring conservation education out of textbooks and into a multisensory, emotionally-driven journey.

🚨 The Challenge
- Environmental causes often face “compassion fatigue” and low engagement in younger audiences
- Traditional wildlife campaigns focus on awareness, not immersion or empathy
- NGOs and educational institutions struggle to keep up with digital innovation
- XR tech adoption is limited by device access and complexityaccessibility was key

We had to create an experience that was modular, scalable, emotionally resonant, and accessible — all while staying grounded in conservation science and ethics.

🧠 Strategy & Execution
🔍 Research & Insights
- Conducted empathy interviews with students and NGO outreach teams
- Studied impact storytelling models (e.g., WWF, Jane Goodall Institute, NatGeo AR)
- Identified digital barriers (e.g., device access, attention span, data literacy)

🔧 Solution Design
- Created a modular concept: AR filters for mobile, VR walk-throughs for public events/schools, and an interactive mobile app with geolocation triggers
- Story flow: users “walk” beside an endangered animal, unlocking facts, animations, and conservation calls-to-action
- Gamified social layer: TikTok filter challenge + donation-based progress bar dashboard
- Proposed partnerships with conservation NGOs, tech firms, and educational institutions for rollout and funding

📈 Results (Concept Stage)
- Received standout feedback from mentors on the emotional power and cross-platform modularity
- Pitch applauded for blending social purpose, accessibility, and storytelling through tech
- Judges highlighted the “education through emotion” approach as particularly timely and differentiated

✅ Key Takeaways
- XR is most impactful when story comes first — tech should serve emotion, not the other way around
- Accessibility matters: modular tech design makes cause campaigns more inclusive
- Story-driven design can make “distant” causes feel intimate and urgent

🧰 Skills Showcased
Cause Marketing • XR/AR Experience Strategy • Narrative Design • Youth Engagement • Accessibility UX • Partnership Modeling • Emotional Storytelling