Sponsored Geocaches in the UK

[WoD]

I've dabbled in games and technology journalism for many years as a hobbyist and have established some good industry connections which I hope to leverage to create some interesting sponsored/promotional Geocaches with great caching related prizes.

 

My goals are both to promote the products of my contacts and to promote Geocaching itself whilst additionally benefiting Geocachers with some highly rewarding finds.

 

I would love to know if anyone believes this is a good idea or even a bad idea.

 

I don't want to be seen as exploiting Geocaching by tying it in with such promotions so I believe I must respect existing caches and not place such items in them.

 

As I am new to Geocaching I would appreciate help in setting up new sponsored caches; first local to my area and then Nationally.

 

My current ideas for goodies include pre-charged rechargeable batteries and various types of solid state storage; USB Flash, SD cards, etc which I believe are robust enough to perhaps even circulate caches and let people fill them up with photos.

 

This all, of course, hinges on the understanding and co-operation of my contacts.

 

Cheers.

[Keystone]

1. Please review the section of the Cache Listing Requirements / Guidelines document entitled "Commercial Caches." You will see that any "sponsored" caches will require advance approval from Groundspeak. You should make an inquiry prior to spending a lot of time on this project.

 

2. Please explain how your idea relates to the Cache In / Trash Out program. If it doesn't, a moderator will be happy to move your topic to a more appropriate forum.

[WoD]

1. Please review the section of the Cache Listing Requirements / Guidelines document entitled "Commercial Caches." You will see that any "sponsored" caches will require advance approval from Groundspeak. You should make an inquiry prior to spending a lot of time on this project.

 

2. Please explain how your idea relates to the Cache In / Trash Out program. If it doesn't, a moderator will be happy to move your topic to a more appropriate forum.

 

1. Thanks for letting me know, I shall look over the document asap!

 

2. Whoops. I think I managed to post this in categorically the wrong forum.

[Keystone]

I am moving this thread from the Cache In Trash Out forum to the United Kingdom forum.

[+Lotho]

Instead of making specific sponsored caches and filling them with gear, how about just placing the goods in cache to spread the word? That would be allowed by the guidelines, and you could appoint certain people around the country to send gear to to place in caches on your behalf.

[+keehotee]

......... and you could appoint certain people around the country to send gear to to place in caches on your behalf.

 

[ keehotee puts hand up to volunteer a little too quickly]

 

[WoD]

I was thinking of doing exactly that; however as I mentioned above I think it would be infringing upon others' caches.

 

If it is cleared with the cache owner (does anyone really own a geocache after it's placed?) I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be a good idea.

 

It would certainly make it a lot easier and if I promote the caches in which items are placed on my own site Gadgetoid.com then it will additionally attract more people to the sport and hopefully they will take it a little more seriously than just a chance to pick up some free swag.

[+Johnmelad]

I was thinking of doing exactly that; however as I mentioned above I think it would be infringing upon others' caches.

 

If it is cleared with the cache owner (does anyone really own a geocache after it's placed?) I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be a good idea.

 

It would certainly make it a lot easier and if I promote the caches in which items are placed on my own site Gadgetoid.com then it will additionally attract more people to the sport and hopefully they will take it a little more seriously than just a chance to pick up some free swag.

 

http://www.gadgetoid.com/

And you are new?

[+rutson]

Well the first article on the site says he's new to geocaching. Why doubt it?

[WoD]

Yes, it's absolutely absurd that I haven't taken up Geocaching sooner but a combination of lack of transport and far, far, FAR too much work has kept me from it.

 

I guess I've got a lot of time to make up!

 

Hopefully I can do this more by using my experience to add to the community rather than simply hunt down caches.

[+Bear and Ragged]

just a chance to pick up some free swag.

 

Take something, leave something of equal or higher value.

 

Not "Free swag"

[+Lotho]

I dont see why a cache owner could complain, there cache will get decent swag and will attract more visitors. If you did plan to send out goodies to be placed, i would be happy to help.

[WoD]

I do sincerely hope that people adhere to that principle; I've not yet done more than sign log books but I am pessimistic when it comes to believing everyone will respect caches.

 

I guess the steps would be:

 

1) Source shiny, compact goodies from willing consumer electronics PRs

2) Send out for seeding into existing caches big enough to fit them (not too hard if we're talking memory cards)

3) Publicize the caches which are seeded on Gadgetoid UK, linking to Geocaching.com for more information.

4) Publicize further on Groundspeak forums for existing cachers?

 

Hopefully this will result in:

 

1) More interest in Geocaching and more recognition of the sport

2) Some nice goodies for the next people who happen upon seeded caches

3) Promotion of the brands supplying the goodies and of the goodies themselves

 

I believe that Sanyo Eneloop batteries are a good candidate as they are both rechargeable, come pre-charged and have effectively zero power loss when left on the shelf. I'm not sure if many geocaching accessories require AA batteries however.

 

Secondly I would try sourcing various memory cards. I believe SD would probably be the most important.

 

And thirdly; if I can get some laminated prize cards made up I can offer things bigger than the cache itself to people who pick them up; but perhaps I am getting ahead of myself there.

[+The Blorenges]

<snip>I guess the steps would be... <snip>

 

I think your first step should be the one suggested by Keystone in post #2

 

"... any "sponsored" caches will require advance approval from Groundspeak. You should make an inquiry prior to spending a lot of time on this project."

 

MrsB

[+sTeamTraen]

You can place high-value swag in caches, although it rather changes the ethos of the game. It's kind of "the point" that swag should have no monetary value. You should see what a scramble there can be at "Ground Zero" among the first-to-find hunters to get their grubby paws on a cache just to be able to be first to sign the logbook when there's nothing more at stake than the honour of being "First to Find".

 

So it's up to you, but (unless you have prior permission from Groundspeak) there are quite substantial restrictions on how you can advertise the fact:

 

- On the cache page, you can't put stuff like "this cache is a distribution centre for Bonko brand SD cards" or "go to http://bonko-sd-cards.com to find out what fantastic swag I've put in this cache".

- In the forums, you can't say things like

I believe that Sanyo Eneloop batteries are a good candidate as they are both rechargeable, come pre-charged and have effectively zero power loss when left on the shelf.

The forum moderator may choose to let this one go because you're discussing your project, but it's advertising and not allowed.

 

Again, if you ask Groundspeak nicely then they may allow you to do some or all of this; or, they may tell you "no" and send you their rate card. I suggest you send a mail to contact@Groundspeak.com and indicate in the mail title that it's a question about commercial promotions. They have some very creative marketing and promotions people - in fact, the company's founders met while working at a promotions company.

 

BTW:

I'm not sure if many geocaching accessories require AA batteries however.

Oh yes. Geocachers love AA batteries. Almost all Garmin GPS receivers take them, for a start. If your project doesn't take off and you have boxes of them clogging up your garage, take them along to a caching event and watch the piranhas strip your car boot bare in 30 seconds.

[+Birdman-of-liskatraz]

or sponsor a caching event instead?

[+sTeamTraen]

I dont see why a cache owner could complain, there cache will get decent swag and will attract more visitors.

 

One of my caches ended up on a geocaching tour (you pay to rent a GPS and get a map) organised by a local outdoor activity company. I wasn't best pleased. All the swag went in five minutes because the participants were effectively muggles and a lot of kids were along on the hike. Some TBs went missing because people had no affiliation with geocaching.com but they'd paid their 10 Euros or whatever and thought that entitled them to a couple of "runs at the buffet". But I don't recall receiving a percentage of the fee which they charged, even though my cache was part of what made their tour possible. In fact I only found about it because someone reported my cache needed maintenance.

 

Similarly, if Bonko brand memory cards were to be promoted via my cache, listed at an external site ("Hey people, click here, sign up for a geocaching account, and get free stuff"), I'd want a cut from Bonko. And if they were paying me a cut, they would want a guarantee of maintenance. There's no free lunch here.

 

More generally, if it needs the prospect of something with eBay resale value to get someone to visit my cache, then I'd really rather that that sort of person didn't visit. So if this is to become a project, the caches should clearly be explicitly described as such.

Edited August 27, 2008 by sTeamTraen

[WoD]

You have some profound points there sTeamTraen and I cannot argue with them. My fear is also that such promotions will do more harm to Geocaching than they would do good for dedicated and serious Geocachers.

 

I am thinking in new directions and will make this work somehow.

 

I am in discussions with an online retailer who sell quite a few Geocaching related items about the production of laminated discount cards for their store. Their discounts do not take the mickey; they're £10 off £20+ which is astoundingly generous although many of their products are very high value.

 

I would then be able to seed these laminated cards into Geocaches throughout the UK and would not even need to promote them for them to be effective. This would avoid harm to the community and reward Geocachers by giving them the option to obtain money off a new GPS, storage card, batteries or anything else that they desire.

 

Because the items themselves; laminated cards, have no intrinsic value and a very minimal setup cost it doesn't matter if they're destroyed by our frustrating weather or simply never used.

[+Amberel]

I've dabbled in games and technology journalism for many years as a hobbyist and have established some good industry connections which I hope to leverage to create some interesting sponsored/promotional Geocaches with great caching related prizes.

 

My goals are both to promote the products of my contacts and to promote Geocaching itself whilst additionally benefiting Geocachers with some highly rewarding finds.

 

I would love to know if anyone believes this is a good idea or even a bad idea.

Sorry, WoD, but I think this whole thing is a seriously bad idea, greatly to the detriment of caching as a whole. TeamTraen has summarised the principles of my objections.

 

How about doing some caching yourself in the ordinary way for 6 months or a year, and then approaching the subject again? If you like it enough to continue doing it, the experience will leave you better placed to understand the pros and cons of what you are proposing.

 

Rgds, Andy

[+wigglesworth]

Given that you have only logged three caches may I endorse the sentiments that you should first get some experience of geocaching.

 

I know of some other cachers who were very keen to create caches but have given up the sport after three months! Don't rush into setting caches or actively involving semi commercial spin offs.