Downtown Hound
Mobile App
Roles: Creator, UX design/Art Direction, Copywriting
BACKGROUND & INSIGHTS
Downtown Hound is a location based app for the urban dog owner borne out of my frustration of wanting to have have a beer on a patio with my dog, but not being able to readily locate a dog friendly restaurant or bar. As I discovered, apps like Yelp and Foursquare, while awesome for finding things specific for human needs, rarely mention whether they're accessible to our four-legged friends. So how about an app for the urban dog owner who just wants to hangout with his/her dog?
Today, 74% of all millennials own a dog* and it's no secret that we are, compared to our Baby Boomer counterparts, far more likely to engage on mobile devices. We're super social savvy, too. 90% of us** are on social media networks, and share photos of our pets an average of three times a week, not to mention the 17% of us that have separate social media accounts*** for our pets. Additionally, while we are a money-conscious generation, we still value a sense of community and belonging when it comes to where we live and shop, which means that not only does our generation favor small store formats in walkable urban locations over the often less-accessible big-box superstores, but we're using technology and social media more often to compare online reviews for products and the places we shop.
* Bedwell-Wilson, Wendy. "Are Millennials Generation Pet?" Pet Product News, June 8, 2016
**Richter, Nathan. (2014) "The Millennial Pet Owner" Washington D.C., Wakefield Research
***You can follow my doggo, Marvin, on instagram @derperdogg
BRANDING
USER EXPERIENCE
The Basics
Easy login/sign up with existing social accounts
Location based app
Featured lists highlight specific places based on time of year and user trends
Check in at local, dog-friendly establishments while earning Pup Treat rewards points
Redeem Pup Treat rewards at participating businesses
App tracks top places and categories for smart suggestions of similar businesses
Find special dog-welcoming events in your city and meet up with other Downtown Hound users
Local Businesses
While check-in apps like Swarm link to existing coupon and discount networks to add rewards to your check-ins, these rewards come primarily from the bigger chain stores. Discount networks like these can be costly for smaller, mom n' pop establishments. To bypass this issue, Downtown Hound would work directly with the smaller local shops, vets, groomers, and restaurants. Upon signing up for a business account, local establishments would have the option to create special rewards for a set amount of check-in "pup treat" points. After checking in at a venue that offers points, the app would notify the user that there is an available reward, which can then be redeemed in the app's rewards section. When a reward is selected by the user, the app automatically generates a barcode to be scanned at checkout. Businesses that participate in the Downtown Hound rewards program would also be provided small window decals and in-store signage to help identify them as an Urban Hound establishment, as well as remind users that discounts are available with a check-in.
