Stay At Home Experiences Amid Covid-19
How Brands are Pivoting to Provide Stay-At-Home Experiences
Synopsis: Since the lockdown started , life has changed dramatically – services and products are developing and transforming to cater to life at home. The pandemic has changed the landscape of retail, hospitality and entertainment amongst other sectors, subsequently paving the way for innovation. From partnerships, collaborations to adapted services and products, new options and offerings are emerging to make themselves once more accessible to consumers. We’ve collated the many ‘Stay at Home Experiences’ that showcase how industries, sectors and brands have adapted and evolved to remain relevant and continue to serve their customers.
The lay of the land :
While 2020 seems to be shaping up to be very uncertain amid this unprecedented situation, not all is lost—opportunity lies in times of crisis. Before Covid-19, with the decline of the high street, there had been conversations of what the future of retail could be especially with the ever-growing power of online shopping. We saw the start of great innovation amid the food and drink industry, with dark kitchens appearing in a strategic location to better-cater to online food delivery platforms such as UberEats and Deliveroo, helping them not compromise on freshness. We also saw large retailers from IKEA to Aldi rethinking their network format strategy, to provide for on-the-go consumers and cater to expectations surrounding ‘convenience’. DIY experiences, personalisation and at-home convenience were gaining momentum – from ordering restaurant takeout through your app and eating it while watching Netflix, that was becoming the standard.
When looking into how brands are pivoting to serve consumers at home – we observe how these already rising trends continue to prevail. If anything, Covid-19 has acted as a stimulus and accelerated the growth of these trends.
But there will be casualties like in any time of crisis. With nearly all retail having their doors provisionally closed and uncertain as to when they can reopen, it may seem like brands are farther away from consumers than they have ever been. Yet, some brands have taken it as a chance to try new things, test new concepts and strengthen the digitisation of their offering.
This week we are reviewing the stay-at-home experiences across the Travel & Hospitality sector. Stay tuned as we cover more sectors and industries offering stay-at-home services and experiences. Coming up: Live Events & Entertainment, Fitness & Wellbeing, Retail and Restaurants.
While in-person travel isn’t in the realm of possibility right now, and travellers now confined to their homes, demand for indoor activities and exploration has increased. Several cultural organisations, tourism boards have come up with online tours of their properties and experiences, so that the journey for discovery can continue, shifting only from the physical to the virtual.
Airbnb Experiences
Airbnb is ready to let you take an immersive, virtual trip from the safety of your own home. The company is launching a new set of programming by adapting its Airbnb Experiences into an entirely virtual activity. Airbnb Experiences initially launched in 2016; they’re unique, immersive activities that are designed and offered by local hosts. The new Online Experiences offer a digital version so that people can learn “learn a new skill, safely connect with others or pursue an interest.” There are now over 50 curated Online Experiences, led by hosts from more than 30 countries around the globe. The Experiences ranged in price from $1 to $40 and hosted via Zoom, offering many of the Airbnb hosts who are suffering financially right now some income.
The Faroe Islands
Visit Faroe Islands launches virtual island tours, allowing viewers to follow and control residents as they undertake their daily exercise. People from all over the world have been logging on to the dedicated microsite to watch the day’s local guide traverse the islands’ rugged coastlines, wide-open plains and postcard-perfect villages via a live streaming camera attached to her hat. People can also join the queue to ‘remote control’ the explorer – commanding her with a virtual controller to run, jump, turn left or right, continue forwards or turn backwards.
Virtual Helsinki By Zoan
The Covid-19 lockdown has spurred such a trial. “We realised we could use Virtual Helsinki for the local community, by inviting citizens to participate in a virtual celebration with one of the country’s most popular artists,” says Aalto. Development of Virtual Helsinki’s gig platform was accelerated, including new features, such as bringing in audience avatars. Zoan, the Helsinki-based VR studio behind the project, squeezed half a year’s work into five weeks. “The travel industry needs to reinvent itself and I hope this encourages other destinations to experience with digital platforms,” says Mikko Rusama, the chief digital officer at the City of Helsinki. “Some are suspicious and think no technology can replace a real visit – which in a way is true. But VR can bring about new experiences that are impossible in real cities.”
The Ghibli Museum
The Ghibli Museum is offering virtual tours of its exhibits while it remains closed due to the spread of the coronavirus. Employees of the museum in Mitaka, Japan posted a “video diary” of the building’s reception area at night on YouTube. Meanwhile, another video focused on the permanent exhibit room, filled with props and artwork from the popular anime productions.
STAY TUNED FOR MORE! We will be updating this post with more of the latest stay at home experiences, upcoming we will look into Live Events & Entertainment industries, how they are responding and innovating.
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