Case Study
iRide ski snowboard app
Deepblue produced the iRide ski/snowboard app as an in-house project, including developing and coordinating a branding campaign that included everything from infographics to promo videos, a website, social media promotion, SEO, product design and the development of the app itself.
Overview
iRide is a revolutionary Android / iOS app that uses technology to improve users’ skiing and snowboarding. The app features a complex Rider Rating System which ranks users globally, nationally, locally or amongst friends. Riders improve by completing Progression Lists – structured, verified guides for developing their skiing and snowboarding. Coupled with Profiling this leads to Smart Connections, uniting riders around the world to build communities.
iRide includes a tracker system to trace riders’ movements, distance, altitude and speed throughout the day. It features a comprehensive resort database with weather and data for 1,956 wintersports areas.
Building on the success of the first version of iRide, Deepblue is currently producing a Vs2.0 rebuild of the app, scheduled for release in winter 2023/24. This new build will include a raft of new features that will further solidify iRide’s reputation as the best, most comprehensive ski and snowboard app available.
Scope of work
Deepbluemedia was responsible for every aspect of the iRide production. It is our most ambitious, challenging – yet rewarding – project to date.
Our remit included: app conceptualisation / logo design (multiple versions) / Vs1.0-Vs2.0 app design and production / Fully Responsive marketing site / video editing and production / photography / merchandise design / social media promotion / resort database with almost 2000 global ski resorts / infographics / brochure / design of beermats, business cards, jackets and t-shirts / liaison with advertisers.
CLIENT:
iRide
TYPE:
Full branding & launch
SKILLS:
web, app, branding, social, video
iRide Vs2.0
We’ve already started work on a 2.0 version of iRide with a range of improved, updated and new features that will vastly increase the usefulness and power of the app. With the emergence of new technologies and better mobile connection speeds since we first built iRide, there is huge scope for the app to evolve.
Vs2.0 is currently planned for beta release in Q3 2024 with a full release in winter season of 2024/25. In addition, we’ll also be adding features that didn’t quite make the cut last time around – including the iRide tag system – as well as developing a new branding website and coordinating an extensive SEO, marketing and social promotion campaign.
App development
The iRide app was released on both Android and iOS operating systems with a later release published for Fire. The app was in development for around a year with ongoing production continuing through the first year of its release.
We are now currently working on a vastly improved Vs2.0 of iRide which will feature yet more features and a better, more intuitive layout.
Icon / logo design
The iRide logotype was designed as a bold statement, suited to the predominantly youth markets of skiing and snowboarding. The abbreviated iR layout was used for the app launch icon.
A key part of the branding of iRide was to select a colour theme and styling that would be immediately recognisable, strike a chord with users and be synonymous with the wintersports community. The iR logo would carry through all aspects of the app’s marketing – from website to social media promotion and teaser videos.
Responsive website
Deepblue designed a Fully Responsive, standards-compliant CMS website for the iRide project suitable for use across all devices – mobile, tablet, laptop or desktop. The iRide site gave full details of the app as well as serving as a user guide.
The iRide site was also optimised for quick download to aid with an extensive SEO campaign. As part of Vs2.0, we will be building another from-scratch website that better reflects the considerable design and coding improvements that are now commonplace in site production. In addition, it will also be used to outline the extra features we have planned this new version of the app.
Marketing / SEO / ASO
In today’s fiercely competitive online environment, it’s no longer enough to simply have a website. If you’re to succeed, you need to stand out form the crowd and be found on search engines – particularly Google which now accounts for around 93% of all online searches.
It’s estimated around 78% of all consumer journeys now start with an online search – and the same applies to apps like iRide. Consequently, we performed a comprehensive Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and App Store Optimisation (ASO) campaign to bolster user numbers and generate new installs.
Infographics
Infographics are a great way to explain often complex concepts in an easy-to-digest format. Deepblue produced a range of infographics explaining the key functions of iRide across social media channels. Infographics don’t just look good – they also proved to be highly viral.
With the iRide branding, one of the key challenges was to educate the potential user base of the advantages of using the app. As iRide was so comprehensive, the benefits of these elements would have been impossible to convey with just text. With infographics we were able to show the process and flow of the app.
Merchandise
The iRide brand encompasses more than just an app. Skiing and snowboarding are ‘lifestyle’ sports and, as such, we identified an opportunity to offer more than just a web-based service.
Deepbluemedia put together a range of different designs (more are planned) to gain an extra revenue stream from the app while aiding with its marketing and self-promotion. The designs also bolstered brand loyalty.
Localisation
From studying early social media and user data, we identified 47% of our market was French. With this in mind, the iRide Vs1.3 website and app went live with full French translations. Other languages are scheduled for iRide Vs2.0.
If you want to capitalise on the global nature of the web, you need to consider catering to foreign markets. Given the international appeal of iRide, we quickly recognised we should offer the app in other languages – a fact borne out by our download stats. For the next incarnation, we will be adding yet more languages (TBC based on our new install stats).
Secondary designs
A key element of iRide is the concept of uniting users to share experiences, improve their skiing and snowboarding and rate others. With this in mind, we produced the We are Connected logo.
With iRide, we were keen to build new branding which could be used on our t-shirt, sweatshirt and cap designs. This simple IR logo was a great way to stick with the fundamentals of the product while also giving us an attractive ident for our merchandise.
Offline Marketing
As with all new and innovative products, coordinated marketing is central to its success or failure. In tandem with extensive social media promotion, we also distributed beer mats – with a scannable QR code – to ski resort bars across Europe. It proved to be one of our most effective forms of marketing.
We recognised skiing and snowboarding is more than just about riding – it’s also about gathering with friends in bars in the evenings. These beermats ended up a great success and helped promote the app to a much larger market. Of course, by monitoring the QR code visits, we could also get an accurate handle on how many users we’d attained with this form of promotion.
Business card design
Even in the digital age, there’s no substitute for a well-designed business card to leave a lasting impression with your clients.
Deepblue produced these striking business cards to help promote the brand and unite with potential clients and advertisers. Used in conjunction with our brochures and beermats, the cards helped solidify the iRide brand offline and lent professionalism to our marketing activities.
View the Vs1.0 brochure
View the full Vs1.0 iRide brochure in the player, detailing the main app functions as well as the merchandise we designed and produced for the app.
Note – this brochure was produced for Vs1.0 of the app and almost all of the screen designs and functions were improved and upgraded for the release of Vs1.2.
To view the brochure full screen, use the expanding arrows button at the bottom of the player.
Vs1.2 Brochure design
Deepblue produced a brochure / simple user guide for distribution both on and offline as part of the iRide launch and promotion. While we believe strongly in the power of internet, SEO and social media marketing, we still recognise the power of offline campaigns.
The brochure was offered as a downloadable PDF on the main iRide site as well as being a considerable aid at trade shows and client meetings.
Partnering
We partnered with various ski and snowboard providers in the iRide app and subsequent projects to provide users with valuable discounts on everything from ski/snowboard hire and lessons to flights, insurance, accommodation, airport transfers and even in-resort delivery food.
We integrated provider APIs into the app to allow users to book and order these services, direct in-app thereby providing a valuable extra revenue stream.
iRide app
Promo videos
Deepblue realised the success of the iRide app lay entirely on attracting users and generating installs. As such we produced a wide range of promo and guide videos which were shared extensively on social media.
iRide Vs1.2 explainer
We produced a short promotional video to announce the new features and redesigned home screen on iRide Vs1.2. This subtle video gave a good overview for potential users interested in seeing what they could gain from installing the newest version of the app.
The iRideTag
We wanted to find ways to make it as easy as possible for riders to link up through iRide so came up with the concept of the iRideTag. Similar to a QR code, this visual alphabet was scannable by the app to show a user’s profile. Each tag is 100% unique to each user, making it easier than ever to join new friends by scanning stickers, t-shirts, etc.
iRide Vs1.12 promo
For version 1.12 of iRide, we added some new features as well as redesigned UIs that improved the user experience of the app. This high-impact short promo video was used across the social channels and on the app website to help promote the launch of Vs1.12 of iRide. It was also used in the app stores as a teaser to encourage downloads and installs.
iRide Vs1.12 explainer
As well as promoting the iRide concept, we also had to educate users on the advantages they could gain from using the app. This short explanatory video went through the key functions of iRide to tempt users to download and install the app.
Again, this video was extensively shared across social channels and served as a good introductory user guide on the main iRide website.
iRide Vs1.0 features
This short explanatory video was used for the Vs1.0 launch of iRide to outline the features of the app to users. We shared the edit across all the usual social channels as well as featuring it on the main iRide website. The video was also used to promote the app in the app stores.
iRide Vs1.0 promo
iRide was always envisaged as a work-in-progress project but with the release of the first version, we needed to outline the key features we’d already added. As work continued in the background, this video helped outline the key features of the app to prospective users. In the coming months, we would add yet more pages and functions to the app.
iRide pre-launch
In the run-up to the official launch of the app, we’d already generated considerable interest on the social media channels – and, in particular, Facebook. with interest already running high, we were keen to produce a video that offered a specific date for release so as to keep followers amped and keen to get their hands on the app. This short teaser was used on all our social pages as well as the main iRide website.
iRide app
App screens
The following images were taken from various stages of iRide’s development – from Vs1.0 through to Vs1.2 – and were used to publicise the app. They encouraged downloads on the stores as well helping to keep enthusiasm high across our social channels.
iRide app
Infographics +
We used infrographics extensively in the promotion of iRide to explain the range of features the app could offer users. As expected, these images were shared extensively on social media and did a great job of spreading the word about the app while also informing users of the benefits gained from installing.
