Through interactivity, unique design, and a platform for user generated content, DECOSTA delivered an engaging experience.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is responsible for some truly remarkable programs, but the YMCA has every reason to be particularly proud of Camp Pine Crest. The camp aims to instil values of inclusiveness, respect, and responsibility in local youth. Camp Pine Crest celebrates it’s 100th anniversary in 2010 and with it comes 100 years of stories told through photo, anecdote, and old friends. DECOSTA is proud to be part of the YMCA experience.

The YMCA is a not-for-profit organisation which depends on charitable support to continue it’s essential work. No one understands the value of Camp Pine Crest better than it’s alumni, so who better to turn to for support? This meant that the challenge was not to communicate the value of a donation, but to communicate the need. DECOSTA developed a donor acquisition strategy aimed at asking alumni campers to donate a story, their time, or money to a worthy cause. The execution was built on email, direct mail, and web campaigns.

Our strategy called for three new web-applications. Through interactivity, unique design, and a platform for user generated content, DECOSTA delivered an engaging experience. The memory board and storybook micro-sites lifted the dust off old photographs while bringing new stories to light, along with an interactive Camp Map which reminded alumni of their summers past and showed how they can give that same gift to a new generation.

Camp Pine Crest is as much for tomorrow’s generation of leaders as it is for today’s, which means that a large part of the Camp Pine Crest brand experience is engaging alumni. Communicating the brand experience meant communicating a camper’s personal experience. Using interactive social web applications developed and designed by DECOSTA then supported by targeted marketing communications, the YMCA was able to offer a voice for all campers leading to a surge of user generated stories. The result: a brand experience which engaged the audience on a truly personal level

YMCA Pine Crest		YMCA Strong Kids