In the Art Center cafeteria, switching cards with a fellow student.
A happy Art Center student and success story from the Bizmatic 2000.
Chris Becker, Chris Lauritzen and I worked together to produce the unbelievable, amazing, Bizmatic 2000 machine. We set out with one goal in mind, to make a trap that would get the user to unknowingly participate in a game requiring them to meet and interact with fellow students they did not know. In order to accomplish this goal we hid behind the walls of the "machine" and gathered content generated by the user to make a business card for them. The cards were designed, printed, and trimmed inside the machine. The trick was that when the card was instantly dispensed from the Bizmatic 2000, it was not THEIR card, it was a different students card.
The Bizmatic 2000 can instantly make anyone a business card in three easy steps. Step 1: Enter your name, email address, and Art Center department. Step 2: Slide into the picture booth and take a photo of yourself for your card. Step 3: Retrieve your instant business card out of the slot. Wait....the card that comes out isn't yours?! Well, that's just part of the fun game that accompanies the machine. Once the person receives the business card and notices the photo on the card doesn't belong to them, they can flip the card over and read about the game we set up for them.
The rule for the game was to show up at the Art Center cafeteria at 1:00 PM with the card you received and then find and exchange it with the rightful owner. The people that showed up to swap cards were interested and excited to participate, and they really wanted their cards!
Overall this project was a success. We had a huge structure set up in the entrance to school, and people were interested enough to check it out and see what it was. Every time a user received the wrong card, they expressed confusion. Once they realized they had been trapped in a game, they had to make the decision to participate or not. The people that experienced the Bizmatic 2000 had excitement added to their day, as well as the opportunity to step outside their social circle and meet new people.
