MCT Virtual Trails Scavenger Hunt to increase Awareness


Target Audience: Current and potential MCT Trails users in Madison County, IL and trail enthusiasts in surrounding communities.

Strategy Objective:Our objective was to increase MCT Trails awareness, activity, and knowledge while giving trail users an activity that was both fun and safe. Our strategy was using a simple mobile application, GooseChase, to facilitate shared experiences of trail exploration and friendly competition on the MCT Trails. Scavenger hunt missions consisted of 3 main formats: -Video/photo missions- participants submitted photos or videos of specific items or places found along the trails. -GPS Check-In missions- participants were directed to specific locations on the trails and "check-in" at their location within certain coordinates. -Text based missions- participants answered text questions related to trails rules, history, courtesy, and information.

Situation Challenge: MCT Trails had plans to put on a National Bike Month event in May to raise awareness, activity, and exposure to the 135 miles of interconnected trails. In order to manage the cancelation of the big MCT Trails event due to the pandemic, we adjusted plans to put on safe, virtual scavenger hunts to expose new and old trailgoers to MCT Trails history, connections, rules and courtesy, and amenities. Following the success of the first scavenger hunt, and ongoing pandemic restrictions, we hosted two more to encourage safe, fun, family activity outside while using, and learning about, the MCT Trails.

Results Impact: The MCT Trails scavenger hunts increased awareness and use of the trails. The three scavenger hunts we put on had a total of 342 active participants, 276 different missions, and 6,578 text, photo, and GPS submissions from participants. People branched out from well-traveled areas of the trails and explored new places. Participants spent time outdoors with their families in a safe manner. The events drove traffic to our MCT Trails website and social media platforms, as well the Madison County Transit website creating activity around our public transit services. The scavenger hunts garnered new social media and marketing content as participants submitted many creative photos and videos of their activity on the trails. See feedback and creative we received in the PDF and videos attached.

Why Submit: The MCT Trails scavenger hunts were submitted for the AdWheel Best Marketing and Communications Educational Initiative as the events were low-cost, creatively facilitated, and garnered high amounts of awareness, positive rapport with the public, and assets MCT will be able to use in marketing the MCT Trails in the future. It utilized innovative tactics that could prove useful applied at other transit agencies who promote multi-modal transportation options. The MCT Trails scavenger hunts proved an effective and engaging way to increase awareness and use of the many miles of MCT Trails.