#ACTIVATEMELBOURNE went through several stages to get to its final form. Inspiration from Times Square to refining and grounding it to Federation Square helped build what is now my final assignment. It was always an interest of mine to utilise the way individuals use hashtags in modern day. Already knowing hashtags were a form of navigation or categorising mechanic made me think of ways I could elicit different actions from it.
I redefined the way hashtags could be used to rebuild foot traffic with the city of Melbourne and combining the relationship of the hashtag between digital and modern world . Through research, I discovered that hashtags play a pivotal role within civic participation in social media and intimate publics. With this knowledge helped me design a creative and interactive project. #ACTIVATEMELBOURNE became an interactive experience which linked to mobile phones that prompts clues that lead to small businesses around Melbourne looking to rebuild their footprint post pandemic.
Once the clue from the mobile was cracked by its participants, they would be greeted at the location with an experience funded by #ACTIVATEMELBOURNE. Whether it be food, arts or more, your night would be sorted through this project.
To conclude, this assignment encouraged my creative and innovative thinking. I was challenged to find the relationship between the digital and real world and design a unique way that combined the two through hashtags. I loved how broad this topic was and the assistance Larissa offered behind each form of presentation. Pitching and presenting build more confidence in my public speaking and feedback allowed me to build, reconstruct and strengthen my ideas.