Can immersive exercise save the UK from an obesity epidemic?
Written for the VCCP blog found here.
The rise of wearable technology and the ever-increasing usage of smart phones and apps, means our lives and actions can be constantly monitored, reviewed and bettered.
As an exercise enthusiast, and working for a sport based client, I am very interested in how exercise and digital technology can come together to motivate the participator, help them achieve their goals and improve the overall exercise experience. With a WHO report suggesting that 74% of men and 64% of women in the UK will be overweight by 2030, the role of exercise in our lives will become increasingly more important than it already is.
Combining exercise and digital technology/games is not a new phenomenon. The Nintendo Wii has been around for almost 10 years and has fueled the release of similar consoles that can be used within the home, as well as exercise and reaction games within gyms.
However, I think the most exciting development is how our everyday tech items have moved on from stat just detailed body monitors into a potential constant source of motivation, using the physical world around us.
One such example is a motivational radio station that is only playable on the Williamsburg Bridge. The station was created by an ad agency for a Brooklyn-based record label and works through and app to play an upbeat, motivational song as you go up the bridge and a chill track after you reach the halfway point for quiet reflection. Williamsburg Radio is also entirely hands-free: The app starts playing music automatically once you reach the bridge, detecting your location roughly every second through GPS tracking and a system of beacons.
Imagine going for a run around a city receiving curated tracks into your headphones that are both motivational and inspired by the surrounding cityscape. What if you then added in more competitive elements, such as being rewarded for the amount of times you run, or competing against other runners for a particular local area (see Run an Empire here).
There is a huge scope for the right sporting brands or National Governing Bodies to combine the trend of immersive theatrical experiences with technology. By aligning their brand values with the goals of the exerciser and enhancing the overall exercise experience, these organisations may benefit whilst saving the UK from an impending obesity epidemic.