washington state parksProcess Book by Katie Blank

Desn 410 F003

introDuction topic inspir ationI was born and raised in Washington State, and with a father

working as a park ranger I was blessed with the chance to

grow up in Deception Pass State Park, a branch of Washington

State Parks. I have a very strong affinity for these parks, and I

suppose I am lucky because I came to experience the inherent

value of these parks first-hand.

Upon my most recent visit to Deception Pass, I became

aware of the financial struggle Washington State Parks are in.

Maintenance programs are being reduced, and facilities can-

not be upgraded to meet current needs of visitors. Park staff

throughout the state risk being laid off, and some parks may

close forever.

This isn’t a problem only in Washington State, but parks

in other states have suffered terribly due to the economy.

Essentially, it is my ultimate goal to protect these precious

resources for future generations.

current solution in pl aceMuch to my surprise, a “Discover Pass” fee system had been

initiated in July 2011. Visitors in vehicles need to pay $10 to

visit the park for the day, or can purchase an annual pass for

$30. The payment allows access to all Washington State Park

facilities for the entire day.

Day-use access had originally been free of charge, except

between 2003-2006 when $5 fees had been instated. While

attendance stayed the same at some parks, it plummeted

at others, a fall totaling about 8 million visits (Ammons).

Ultimately, the fee program was repealed because over a

quarter of the revenue collected was consumed in maintaining

the program itself (Judd).

It’s too soon to say if the current program will have similar

consequences, but there is still a good chance the program

will suffer. For now, it’s safe to assume that the fees are here to

stay for a while, and it will be necessary to work around them.

projectplan

problem DeFinitionsWashington State Parks are having a funding crisis. A handful

of parks risk closure, and others have significant cuts to their

maintenance and educational programs.

Park attendance has dropped, possibly resulting from in-

creased urbanization. The trip would be too distant.

People feel less inclined to visit state parks because they

are perceived as dull compared to their favorite activities.

There has been a dramatic shift in the way society spends

it’s leisure time.

thesisI intend to increase park attendance and funding by revital-

izing the perceived value of Washington State Parks. This can

be achieved by highlighting parks as places that are full of

adventure, even to amateur visitors.

auDienceMy primary audience is urbanites, particularly those who don’t

experience nature very often. I will equally emphasize male

and female audience members, but will focus more on teens

and young adults, as they are the future generation that park

support depends on.

primary goalsI wish to highlight Washington State Parks as an outrageously

fun destination, in contrast to conventional ways of spending

time, possibly using a sense of humor. I hope to inspire my

audience to enter into a dialogue and embrace taking action

in increasing encounters with nature. The project should

illustrate the breadth of activities available, and help amateurs

understand the ease of planning and executing a trip.

methoDologyThe research will evaluate sample awareness campaigns, and

closely analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Examples of

activism from park agencies in other states can be utilized for

comparison. Furthermore, I can draw from a variety of camp-

ing and park guides to generate a plethora of activity ideas.

These analyses will provide insights which can draw into my

design decisions. Further information can be drawn from vari-

ous books, journals, and park documents.

Working in tandem with the above research, in the third

phase I intend to conduct surveys and/or interviews to answer

research questions relevant to my project. By asking carefully

formulated research questions, I can determine what aspects

of parks are most important to highlight, and exactly what will

draw my audience away from their ordinary tasks.

research Financial instabilit yThe Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

frequently hold board meetings, and notes or results of each

are published. Park budgets are frequently a subject of discus-

sion, and in light of the recent economic situation it has been

critical to look closer at these financial cuts.

The commission has suffered from a series of repeated

budget cuts, and it has been deemed necessary to augment

the meager budget with user-access fees. User-based fees were

paid by 7% of total visitors of the 2009-2011 biennium, by those

who stay overnight (“10-086”). Park maintenance is difficult on

the budget, and eventually parks will close if funds are unable

to be raised. Thirteen parks are slated for closure, reducing the

Washington State Parks system from 121 to 108 parks (“08-089

Budget proposal”).

Attendance typically suffers whenever fees are created, and

since the Discover Pass has been launched, many parks have

already reported drops in attendance by as much as 50%. Some

sources suggest that attendance may take between three and

five years to recover, if at all (Runquist).

cultur al shiFtsThe economy isn’t strong, but there is also evidence that

attendance has dropped gradually due to causes other than

just the economy. Because it is unclear as to whether or not the

access fees will remain in place indefinitely, my project seeks

to investigate additional causes to the decrease in attendance.

It might be viable that increased urbanization has led to a de-

crease in nature encounters such as visiting parks. Moreover,

families are moving to urban communities, far away from

parks which are often located in rural tourist communities.

According to a study about the Columbia River Gorge and its

state parks, it was determined that families are the most likely

to visit parks, followed by groups of friends (Burns 37). Few

visit parks alone. 80% of campers have had childhood camping

experiences (“Washington State Parks: Location Assessment”

58). Therefore it is integral to keep families in support of parks,

as it is clear that these positive childhood experiences lead to

future visits down the road. Families have a great influence

on its members. One might consider shifts in the perception

of family time, which has also suffered reductions globally

because of mothers entering the workforce and family work

hours increasing overall (Daly 3).

However, I have abandoned promoting family time as the

sole means to increase park attendance for fear that it will be

highly ineffective, particularly due to the romanticization and

nostalgia of family time. There is a lack of sufficient evidence

that family time is the most dominant cause parks of a major-

ity of family visits.

Rather, I think the decline in attendance is directly related

to the increase in media use. A study of US National Parks

observed a steep decline in park attendance ever since 1988,

which coincides with the rise of electronic media, therefore

effecting recreation choices (Pergams and Zaradic 387). People

now have a tendency to opt for sedentary activities rather

than focus on outdoor recreation. I conclude that it is plausible

to target those most distracted by media, especially those in

urban communities. This can be achieved by utilizing certain

mediums, such as the internet or video, that are most used by

my audience.

Among statistics collected about visitor demographics at the

Columbia Gorge, the mean age was calculated to be at

44 years (Burns 5). Statistics collected among campers across

Washington State showed that campers tend to be middle-

aged (“Washington State Parks: Location Assessment” 38).

Because the young-adult age group appears to be underrepre-

sented, it may be worth pursuing them as my target audience,

especially when they will ultimately be the future generation

of parks. They are also heavy consumers of electronic media,

as discussed earlier. I have decided to combine young adults

and teenagers in my audience, as I find them closely related.

iF parks closeParks are a valuable resource that cannot risk being lost.

The Washington State Parks Foundation states its mission as

“enrich[ing] our state parks by improving recreational and

educational opportunities and protecting natural, cultural

and historic resources… Preserving and enhancing access to

our natural heritage is critical to maintaining the outstanding

quality of life enjoyed by Washington residents and visitors”

(Washington State Parks Foundation). They are an indispens-

able source of educational programs and protector of our

heritage and natural resources. In addition, survey respon-

dents take note of their top reasons for visiting parks: enjoying

nature, being with friends and family, stress reduction and

relaxation, and “getting away” (“Washington State Parks

Centennial 2013 Survey” 6). It is important to emphasize parks

as an escape from the busy routines of city life, hence there is

another reason to target urbanites.

The thirteen Washington State Parks that are slated for

closure would first have to be mothballed, a temporary closure

which requires locking gates and park facilities, as well as

cutting staff. Visitors may still visit mothballed parks by foot,

but these parks risk damage when they are not regularly

maintained, and particularly from fire risks when there is no

staff to readily respond to incidents. Unattended parks can

also harbor vandalism or illegal activity (Duda).

Washington State Parks that have been mothballed may face

transferal to other entities, preferably local cities or counties.

Otherwise, they could possibly be privatized, which can easily

result in higher fees for visitors (Paterson). Much as we have

seen with privatized provincial parks in British Columbia, visi-

tor costs have soared while attendance has flatlined, especially

when private sectors have a high inclination to seek profit

above all else. Washington State Parks need to be supported

by the public, both in value and finance, or else they may not

have them as a resource any longer.

centennial 2013The Washington State Parks Centennial is occurring in 2013,

and the commission states their goal as follows: “In 2013,

Washington’s state parks will be premier destinations of

uncommon quality, including state and regionally significant

natural, cultural, historical and recreational resources that

are outstanding for the experience, health, enjoyment and

learning of all people” (“Centennial 2013” 6). Unfortunately, the

looming threat of park closures is precisely opposite of this

vision. Evidence indicates that as few as 5% of Washington

residents are aware of the centennial (“Centennial 2013” 14),

which suggests pursuing the centennial as a leverage base for

the campaign I wish to create.

social marketingMy strategy in reaching my target audience requires insights

into social marketing, and an analysis into how I can exactly

encourage my audience to change a behavior. It is suggested

that one has a close understanding of competition in the

market, and since the audience should be at the center of

every decision I make, I should take the time to understand

them thoroughly as well (Social Marketing National Excellence

Collaborative 4). By looking at my competition, I can gain a

better understanding of how I can better meet the needs of

my audience. I can determine more of these needs in the third

design phase when I survey my audience on their preference

of activities, getting an idea of their likes and dislikes. How

do parks rank amongst other activities? What makes a person

avoid a trip to state parks? How are they perceived?

preceDentsThere are a handful of programs already in existence aimed at

raising financial support for Washington State Parks, take for

example the non-profit Washington State Parks Foundation.

However, nowhere is the decline in park attendance over the

years addressed, nor do they make a strong moral plea for

financial support. They don’t explicitly say, “Your contribution

keeps parks open.” Essentially, these organizations speak of

preserving parks, which does not necessarily imply action on

the part of the audience.

In Washington State, there are opportunities to donate, and

occasionally news articles are released. To me, these websites

feel somewhat passive, as they have no call to action. They

reveal no opportunity to collaborate with others who are

concerned for park welfare. There’s no energy!

The intention is good here, but there’s

hardly a call to action, as seen with the

Washington State Parks Foundation.

The Discover Pass program is still in its infancy, and therefore

it is difficult to determine its success as of yet. The campaign

relies heavily on persuading that user-fees are the ticket to ex-

ploring Washington State’s most beautiful gems. The campaign

holds back on a key opportunity to explain that those fees are

one of the only things keeping said park open.

A Facebook Group and a number of blogs have popped up on

the issue, giving users a gateway to submit their own relevant

content and discussions. The drawback to these methods is

that they are no fully comprehensive, and sometimes lack all

the detailed information the audience needs. Additionally,

while they are supportive of a specific cause, there is no

explicit call to action.

inspir ationInitially I wanted to bring mere awareness to the issue, much

like other example campaigns. Although my goals have

changed slightly, it has been helpful to look at successful

campaigns from other states. California is a strong example,

with many sites dedicated to “Saving the Parks.” In an attempt

to get more attention, rather than only sympathy for parks, it

is worth considering a different approach—one that seeks to

make parks appeal to the audience through trends and activi-

ties, rather than sorrow and sympathy.

At this point, I determined that I may need to steer clear

from merely obtaining sympathy for Washington State Parks,

but rather glamorize them as a choice destination and a source

of fun activities!

gloriF ying natureAt one point in my concept development, it was suggested

that I analyze the aesthetic of companies that commercialize

nature. They attempt to glamorize nature in order to make a

profit. They make nature perceived as “cool,” and fashion plays

a large role in that. Others emphasize nature as a source of

adventure and exploration, and in some cases, defying danger.

conceptDevelopment

breaDth oF conceptsBased on feedback from my peers, it has been helpful to con-

tinually reevaluate my concept and deliverables. It is incredible

how much my goals have transformed, especially when it

comes down to being less about funding awareness and more

about making parks cool. My audience is more likely to listen

to my plea, if I even want to call it that, when I try to directly

engage them in an activity they will perceive as interesting

and worth their time.

My target audience has shifted a bit as well. With an aware-

ness campaign I would be targeting the general public. I also

considered promoting quality time with families. At this stage,

I have refined by audience even further to include youth and

young adults, especially since they are heavy users of the

media which is distracting them from parks in the first place.

In summary, the general goal of my deliverable brainstorms

emphasized opportunities for users to interact and enter into

a dialogue. As well, they highlighted the array of activities

Washington State Parks offer, often in the form of an explora-

tion kit or engaging guidebook.

initial mooDboarDs

threeconcepts

My three final concepts all discover to what degree a person

can explore a space, whether done virtually or facilitating

actual interaction with that space. All of them can utilize

a website in some form, although the third avenue doesn’t

pursue a website as its primary deliverable.

option #1, inter active portal, park proFilesThis unconventional park directory can attract prospective

visitors and fans alike, allowing them to share relevant content

and discussions, much like a social networking website. Each

park can have its own profile, complete with essential park

information, history, and a news feed. The user can navigate

between parks through lists, maps, or a cloud that features the

popularity of certain activities. Visually, this site can be bold

and energetic in appearance, maybe even edgy.

Using a digital format increases the chance of my audience

stumbling upon the site, and they might potentially be drawn

in by the opportunity to participate in a dialogue.

option #2, multimeDia campaign, Don’t miss outAlthough this also features a website, this campaign activates

a variety of mediums both within and outside of park facilities,

thus reinforce recurring visits. It highlights what people are

missing out on by virtually navigating between park scenes,

establishing an understanding of value inherent in parks.

In addition to a website, the campaign can utilize motion

graphics, as well as print materials for park use. Signage can

be designed, or even something small-scale like the fee enve-

lopes. This campaign speaks in a casual and energized tone,

yet with a subtle sense of humor. I intend for this piece to be

aesthetically refreshing, and it might even take after modern

information graphics.

Again, a website increases the chance of my audience seeing

the project, as they frequent the internet, but having the

supplementary campaign available in print brings the informa-

tion where one would hope to escape from the internet. That is

why I don’t want to set anything in stone regarding web versus

print. On the one hand, they should see the campaign on the

internet, then be able to break away from the format.

option #3, explor ation kit, the rookie’s guiDeThis package helps the amateur park visitor realize how easy

it is to arrange a trip and find things to do. It can help them

plan ahead, and stay engaged throughout the trip. A stitched

cover protects the book and is made of canvas, rather than

leather, for animal welfare reasons. The cover also holds and

assortment of relevant tools for activities contained within the

guide. The aesthetic is that of vintage illustrations and guides,

doing homage to parks and recreation of earlier days, but with

modern elements. I call it “old-school.”

The advantage to having a print piece is that you can easily

take it with you, with no devices needed. This is particularly

important in rural state parks, which often have spotty cel-

lular reception. Although Wi-Fi is growing in popularity, it isn’t

too common in Washington State Parks.

in pursuit oF option #2The option which seemed to have the most potential was the

multimedia campaign, which could easily combine aspects of

the other two options should I wish.

This avenue was suggested because Washington State

Parks needs to compete on the commercial level. They rarely

advertise in any form other than brochures and websites,

but campaigning more aggressively is necessary to reach the

target audience. If they don’t, they might not stand a chance in

today’s world where companies compete for our leisure time.

Feedback from my presentation also indicated that it might

be wise to pursue transit advertising, possibly with QR tags to

scan and lead to a website. This is particularly important in

reaching urban areas where people tend to be more detached

from parks.

project Development

Diving into protot ypingAt this stage I felt I would make more progress if I started

prototyping straight away, rather than staying in my sketch-

book thinking of ways to expand my concepts. There are still

instances I went back to sketching out ideas after testing the

waters, but I didn’t want to fall behind.

I ended up creating mockups for a transit shelter ad and a

rotary billboard. Motion graphics were also a strong potential

(brief comps above). These treatments were mostly typographic,

with the exception of the landscape photograph on the rotary

billboard. My intention was to be bold and capture attention,

and possibly get viewers to almost covet the landscape they

see. This approach wasn’t as successful, and in fact was a little

boring. Photography has already been done by nearly every

park organization. Pure typography fails to communicate

“parks are fun.” It’s not necessarily inviting at this point.

illustr ation st yle explor ationMore feedback indicated I should explore the types of illustra-

tion styles that are out there, possibly drawing inspiration

from existing companies that leverage on creating a subcul-

ture. Some of these examples in this moodboard do that better

than others. But illustration does have an uncanny way of

building energy in the viewer.

WHAT’S YOUR STYLE,

TOASTED OR BURNT?

Advent Extra-Bold WHAT’S YOUR STYLE,

TOASTED OR BURNT?

Agency Bold

WHAT’S YOUR STYLE,

TOASTED OR BURNT?

Delicious Bold Italic

WHAT’S YOUR STYLE,

TOASTED OR BURNT?

Gill Sans MT Bold Italic

WHAT’S YOUR STYLE,

TOASTED OR BURNT?

Knockout HTF70 Full Welterweight

WHAT’S YOUR STYLE,

TOASTED OR BURNT?

Memphis Bold Italic

WHAT’S YOUR STYLE,

TOASTED OR BURNT?

Neutraface Bold Italic

What’s your style,

TOASTED OR BURNT?

I did a lot of exploration with illustrative styles at this point.

The ones that were hand-sketched, however, resembled

children’s books too closely. The boots posters and the marsh-

mallow poster were closer to my target audience. I felt the

strongest attachment to the marshmallow poster because it

felt like a parody on traditional recreation signs. The neat thing

about those signs is that they’re still bold and recognizable, so

it would be fun to put a new spin on them.

Peers recommended I try keeping the aesthetic warm

and friendly, hence I experimented with different

color palettes and illustrative styles. I looked at iso50 for

inspiration(moodboard in previous spread), and tried a

couple more posters that exaggerated the benefits of

going the a park beach.

The problem with this particular approach is that

it did not achieve the tone I wanted, both in terms of

visuals and language. The aesthetic simply did not match

the content. Perhaps it needs to be edgier. I need to make

sure to challenge the audience without sounding rude,

possibly using a slight level of sarcasm. It’s like telling

my audience they are incapable of doing something, but

provoking them to prove me wrong. This message also

isn’t inclusive of both genders.

Near the end of the project development phases, I produced

a few more posters that fit into the campaign, given the

recreation sign aesthetic, but could be applied to a variety of

different surfaces such as busses and billboards.

project reFinement

thoughts on protot ypesThe advertisements were moderately successful, with a

handful that needed revised taglines to entice the audience

more. Some of the illustrations also needed to be reconsidered

or refined.

As for the website, my peers thought it would be more

successful if each poster had its own respective page on the

website. I also had to consider whether or not I wanted my

campaign to be on a website separate from Washington State

Parks or a part of it. At one point I also tried to code the web-

site from scratch, but due to time constraints I decided against

it. My time was better served working on a thorough mockup.

website visualsHere I looked for some website precedents which I could

draw on. It was my goal to make my website visually enticing.

WHAT STYLE ARE YOU,TOASTED OR BURNT?

WASHINGTON STATE PARKS

OUTHOUSESA SYMBOL OF COURAGE

WASHINGTON STATE PARKS

HOW LONG CAN YOU GO WITHOUT SHAVINGYOUR LEGS?

WASHINGTON STATE PARKS

FORGET FASHIONADVENTURE IS BACK IN STYLE

WASHINGTON STATE PARKS

reviseD seriesHere a few more illustrations were created, with the typogra-

phy and layouts refined, as well as tagline revisions.

more web protot ypesI struggled with the website. At first I intended to have my

campaign separate from Washington State Parks, which could

in turn be featured on the main parks website. I originally

chose this path because I feared having to grasp all the infor-

mation present on the current website. I did try to simplify

the Washington State Parks website as well, then inserted my

campaign as a feature. I soon discovered that my campaign

lost its effectiveness when it was treated separately and merely

inserted as a small image.

I also struggled with the aesthetics of the website, The

color palette felt a little flat, and hardly related to the original

campaign at all. I experimented with various styles of naviga-

tion, but most of them felt rather cheesy, even for my younger

audience. I also needed to consider how the remaining content,

such as images and text, would be treated.

The color palette in brown stays truer to the original cam-

paign, and paired with a hint of orange keeps things bold.

Instead of a separate campaign website, I pursued a site

that combined the campaign with the content required for

Washington State Parks. I divided the navigation into two

areas: one for regular park functions, such as reservations,

and an auxiliary navigation which directed the campaign. The

auxiliary navigation, however, was not intuitive enough when

you had to hover over the buttons to activate them.

Furthermore, the dark boxes surrounding the text on the

splash screens were a bit restrictive, even though they were

trying to maintain the aesthetic of the campaign.

Final Deliverables

changes maDe to Final Deliver ablesThe posters were nearly done, with the exception of the coffee

ad, which needed a new illustration. The previous one was a

little bland.

The website was given new auxiliary navigation, and the ty-

pographic treatment still keeps in the spirit of the campaign. A

page was created to correspond with each advertisement, each

of which serves as a filter to important information about the

outdoors. Mockups of park profiles were also created, where

each facility can list its basic information, maps its history on

a timeline, and offer visitors an opportunity to discuss and

upload photographs.

conclusion In the end, I was very pleased with the outcome of my se-

nior project. I fee like I achieved many of my objectives, and

maintained an aesthetic that would appeal to my target audi-

ence. There were aspects of the website that could have been

stronger in terms of use of social media. Learning from the ex-

perience, I wish I dove into prototyping sooner than I did, and

possibly expanded the campaign as I originally anticipated.

Parks could still have related print materials such as signage,

payment envelopes, and brochures. Buttons, motion graphics,

and T-shirts would’ve been awesome as well.

Given the timeframe, I am still pleased with the outcome. I’d

like to thank my instructors Don & Tak for all their guidance

throughout the semester. I would also like to acknowledge my

father Ranger Rick Blank for all his encouragement.

Katie Blank

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