Although The Outsmarting Invasive Species app is partnered with many local organizations and universities, it is not as popular as it should be. The lack of competent advertising is therefore a major letdown for the project. Even so, there are many other species identification apps that essentially do the same job of locating outbreaks, such as INaturalist.
The comical promotional video posted in the Introduction (and linked below) has less than 7,000 views on Youtube, despite being posted in 2012. Although clearly an attempt to engage the public in citizen science, it seems to have fallen short of its goals. I hope that the improvements coming next year to Outsmarting Invasive Species bring further popularity to the app. I could see the promotional video becoming viral (if posted in the right places) because it is well put together: as absurd as it is educational. If I were in charge, I would increase outreach efforts, possibly by connecting with Mass Audubon to use their established advertising network.
With that said, the message behind this project is absolutely beneficial to New England's unique ecosystems. If all the hikers and outdoorsmen and women had this application downloaded, organizations like Mass Audubon would be much better equipped to stop invasive species before they reach our precious state parks and preserves. Perhaps better communication between organizations, as well as upcoming improvements, will allow this project to reach its full potential.
Video Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfawHPvq5gI&feature=youtu.be
No comments:
Post a Comment