Mandai Singapore: Ranger Quest Buddies
Branding, Art direction, Experiential, Digital
Client: Mandai Singapore
Advertising Agency: Media.Monks
What the project is about
More than half of the world is projected to live in cities, disconnecting us from nature, while technology is an inevitability in the lives of future generations. So, rather than pit technology and nature against one another, why not use technology as a tool to educate?
Using this perspective, we took the familiar binoculars, one of the most iconic tools for wildlife observation, and enhanced it to invent the first-of-its-kind smart device. It was designed to help kids see the natural world in a whole new gamified way, as both an analog way-finder, interactive device and a game console. Elevating the experience into thousands of personal adventures connecting children with wildlife and their digital counterparts.
By integrating technology with nature, younger generations can learn how to take action to protect wildlife and live sustainably.
With over half the world living in cities, there is a growing gap for children to learn more about wildlife, especially in the concrete jungle of Singapore. Our idea was an interactive gaming learning experience through smart binoculars, transforming Mandai Wildlife Reserve into 28 hectares of digital playground.
After 25 months of research and testing, with 20,000 hours of development, Ranger Buddies Quest combines education and technology, thanks to a scientifically accurate visual study of 60 animal species, built alongside biologists, illustrators and child behavioural experts.
See case study video here
The outcome
The process
The results
Mandai Wildlife Reserve launched Ranger Buddies Quest at the end of October 2023. In the first two months alone, over 2000 children went through the experience, used the binoculars and played the games, marking just the beginning of our mission to bring conservation education into the hands of future generations. Our quest continues beyond our parks to bring conservation education into every classroom in Singapore, inspiring a new generation of nature and wildlife conservationists.
The achievements
The Webby’s Awards: People's Voice Winner in Connected Products & Wearables, 2024
Markies Awards, 2024, Most Creative – Cause Marketing
Markies Awards, 2024, Most Creative – Digital
Markies Awards, 2024, Most Creative – Experiential
Markies Awards, 2024, Most Creative – Gamification Campaign
Executive Creative Director: Joao Flores
Creative Director: Mary Lam (Pico Art International)
Creative Director: Mustapha Zainal
Creative Director: Daniel Samson
Creative Director: Patricio Lobos
Creative Director: AS Anam
Creative Director: Dave Rhodes
Design Director: Bobby Tay
Art Director: Claudia Zhou (Pico Art International)
Copywriter: Vanessa Soh (Pico Art International)
Copywriter: Rebecca Harbick
Copywriter: Lyla Murugayah
Art Director: Joanna Lim
Art Director: Mariane Barlaan
Art Director: Jasmie Ezran
Senior Designer: Yizhen Huang
UI Designer: Vanessa Lim
UI Designer: Keith Tang
Senior UX Design: Delano Kamp
UX Design: Kayla Chia
UX Design: Khin Thapyay
Experiential Design: Alireza Sadeh
Experience Design: Emma Gilpin
Technical Director: René Bokhorst
Technical Management: Jacky Kong (Pico Art International)
Lead Developer: Tze-Wei Ong
Developer: Paulyn Ana Pelayo
Developer: Martin Koning
Film Creative: Glenn Ng
Animator: Vanessa Law
Animation: Jaslyn Tjhai
Animation: Felicia Sharren
Animation: Trung Vuong
Offline Editor: Hanaan Alhabsyi
Lead Illustrator: Mattyn Klaassen
Illustration: Lynne Goh
Illustration: Yingwen Ang
Illustration: Hidayah Ahmad Surasa
Illustration: Kevin Rooi
Illustration: Lucia Sordelli
Game Design: Bryan Sng
Game Design: Anna Dohy
Game Design: Leah Zhao
Graphic Design: Sim Xin Feng (Pico Art International)
Graphic Design: Soon Heng Teoh (Pico Art International)
Operations: Eric Cheng (Pico Art International)
Project Management: Paco Velayo
Project Management: Elie El Daccache
Project Management: Jason Koh (Pico Art International)
Project Co-ordination: Kristine Tan (Pico Art International)
Operation: Wei Ling Teo (Pico Art International)
Quantity Surveyor: Dillon Lim (Pico Art International)
Public Relations: Charlotte Mceleny
Public Relations: Evelyn Hsu
Production Co-ordinator: Avisenna Gusta
Accounts Service: Joris Knetsch
Producer: Mel Mohd (Pico Art International)
Producer: Alvaro Sanchez
Copywriter: Rachel Xu
Joanna is a concept-driven creative who believes in storytelling through gamified experiences. After obesessing over digital and prints for 6 years in school,she ventured into the world of advertising and saw it as a huge playground for endless possibilities. Today, she has worked with clients ranging from FMCG, Beauty, and Telco. Some of these brands include Disney, Lucozade, Acer, M1 and Shiseido. In her free time, she takes her film cameras out for a spin. That, or binge-watch Netflix. She always appreciates a good plot and art direction. PS: Have you watched Love,Death, Robots? ;)
Achievements
The Webby’s Awards: People's Voice Winner in Connected Products & Wearables, 2024
Markies Awards, 2024, Most Creative – Cause Marketing
Markies Awards, 2024, Most Creative – Digital
Markies Awards, 2024, Most Creative – Experiential
Markies Awards, 2024, Most Creative – Gamification Campaign
Mandai Singapore : Ranger Buddies Quest
FWA of the day, 2022
evian : The True Source
Innovative Category, Top 20
Young Monks x Cannes x Netflix, 2022
Bachelor’s Degree in Design Communication (Graphic Design),
Lasalle College of the Arts, 2016
Crowbar Awards 2016 Best of Design
‘The Commute - A Visual Bookmarking’
Participation in Tokyo Designer's Week 2015
3rd Place in Watsons Singapore Packaging Design,
Helping Hands Campaign, 2015
Diploma in Interactive Media Design,
Temasek Design School, 2013
Director's List (Top 5% in cohort),
Temasek Design School 2010 - 2011
The Webby’s Awards: People's Voice Winner in Connected Products & Wearables, 2024
Markies Awards, 2024, Most Creative – Cause Marketing
Markies Awards, 2024, Most Creative – Digital
Markies Awards, 2024, Most Creative – Experiential
Markies Awards, 2024, Most Creative – Gamification Campaign
Mandai Singapore : Ranger Buddies Quest
FWA of the day, 2022
evian : The True Source
Innovative Category, Top 20
Young Monks x Cannes x Netflix, 2022
Bachelor’s Degree in Design Communication (Graphic Design),
Lasalle College of the Arts, 2016
Crowbar Awards 2016 Best of Design
‘The Commute - A Visual Bookmarking’
Participation in Tokyo Designer's Week 2015
3rd Place in Watsons Singapore Packaging Design,
Helping Hands Campaign, 2015
Diploma in Interactive Media Design,
Temasek Design School, 2013
Director's List (Top 5% in cohort),
Temasek Design School 2010 - 2011