The team at SapientNitro Chicago had concerns that the 2016 election had started an unfortunate trend: choosing not to vote.
To address their concerns and fill an 11th floor whiteboard space, they decided to motivate their employees by using a prominent whiteboard space in the office, to create the “Embrace Your Right (or Your Left)” voting wall.
“We felt a need to respond to this sentiment by inspiring our people to do their democratic duty,” explained Creative Director Amy Haiar.
The team worked with a local calligrapher and artist, Jenna Blazevich, to bring the message to life and partnered with our IoT lab to create digital information screens that integrated data capture to measure participation.
The art installment aims to serve as a reminder to get out and vote, provides interactive screens to learn more about candidates, has the ability to search for polling locations, and even allows employees to register to vote.
“In the short time this wall has been up, it’s become an expression of patriotism in the office,” Haiar stated. “It was very important for us to remain neutral and non-partisan, and we did so in a striking way that demanded attention.”
Since the whiteboard measures interaction, results show that the reaction to the wall has been enthusiastic.
“Data shows that 1 in 3 people walking the floor has engaged with the wall in some capacity, while several have actually been motivated to register to vote through the digital screens,” Haiar said.
Because the office had a high number of new hires and a diverse team, the space was created to keep employees informed while encouraging them to vote.
“We believe that the most interesting things happen when story and technology come together,” Haiar added
As to if they will repeat this for the next elections, possibly on a broader level, Haiar stated “We would love to extend our reach beyond SapientNitro, to encourage even more people to vote in coming elections.”
