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Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel has shown cable television viewers a blend of independent films, documentaries and groundbreaking programming for over a decade (www.sundancechannel.com). In keeping with its pioneering spirit, Sundance has launched THE GREEN, the first weekly television programming destination devoted entirely to environmental issues in April 2007.
A dedicated minisite was created to extend THE GREEN online with videos, blogs, news, webisodes and eco tips (www.sundancechannel.com/thegreen). The digital extension of THE GREEN also includes the Eco-mmunity Map, an innovative tool developed by customizing Google Maps for Enterprise (www.sundancechannel.com/map).
Challenge
"We wanted to create an online community of green enthusiasts to extend and support our television programming" said Christopher Barry, Senior Vice President of Digital Media and Business Strategy. Barry also indicated they sought to create an engaging visual application and a dynamic search tool for this target audience.
For Sundance Channel the decision to turn to Google was a natural one. "Google Maps for Enterprise gives our audience a living, breathing tool that’s nurtured and developed by the community itself," said Jeff Kunken, Director of Digital Media and Creative Development. "Google offers a clean and flexible API, along with easy customization, which was the main attraction for us," he continued. With Google Maps for Enterprise, Sundance Channel found a fluid way to distill a wealth of unwieldy information in a visually compelling format.
Solution
"Green is a geographical issue," said Kunken. "With Google Maps for Enterprise, our ‘eco-mmunity’ members can learn about events taking place all over the world using a creative, visual medium." The Eco-mmunity Map’s search feature allows users to locate environmentally conscious individuals, companies, and special attractions, as well as place "markers" on the map to pinpoint items. A green map point might be an empty lot in need of gardening, a green-related event or rally, or the address of an interesting green program, project, or service. Anyone can place green points on the map by logging on.
Results
Television viewers who were once inspired to write a letter or sign a petition can now go to the Eco-mmunity Map and participate in successful, earth-friendly activities and discussions – both locally and globally. Users can find green resources around the globe and can even embed links to videos, blogs and video blogs in map markers. By leveraging the power of Google Maps for Enterprise, Sundance Channel has found a unique way to extend THE GREEN online and encourage its viewers to share information and make change in their lives.
About Google Maps
Businesses can create and display their listings for free using Google Maps, attracting qualified prospects. By adding their own data feeds, businesses have full control over the freshness and quality of their content and can manage listings for businesses of any size. Visitors see richer information in geographical context when they are searching for local information. For more about Google Maps, visit https://maps.google.com.
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