Go Ape: Photography, UX and Web Design
Living life adventurously
Go Ape is the UK’s premier outdoor adventure, a powerful invitation to escape the everyday, challenge personal boundaries, and embrace a life lived more adventurously.
Services
- Digital Experience
- Photography
- Web Design
Overview
Our objective was to translate this exhilarating physical experience into an equally compelling digital journey, placing the customer at the very heart of the adventure. We set out to develop a brand-building online ecosystem where story, service, and personalisation converge.
To truly grasp the essence of Go Ape, we went beyond the brief. We spent time across multiple Go Ape locations, immersing ourselves in the brand and its diverse offerings. This hands-on research was complemented by a series of stakeholder questionnaires, allowing us to align on the project’s rationale and establish clear, measurable objectives from the outset.
A core part of our discovery phase involved running customer empathy mapping workshops. By developing detailed audience profiles, we could step into the shoes of Go Ape’s varied customer base; from families and corporate groups to seasoned thrill-seekers. This process was fundamental to understanding their motivations and needs, ensuring the user experience we designed would resonate deeply and effectively.
A practical, collaborative process
The project was part of a comprehensive brand overhaul, which required a deeply collaborative and integrated process. We worked as part of a multi-agency team, embedding ourselves with the core Go Ape unit and working with their brand, development, and SEO partners.
Our team led the user experience (UX) strategy. This began with detailed wireframing to map out user journeys and establish a solid structural foundation. We then moved into prototyping, creating interactive models of the site that allowed stakeholders to test and refine the experience before development began. As the project progressed, our role expanded to take ownership of the UI’s visual language and to provide critical oversight during the technical implementation.
Capturing authentic adventure
To ensure the new website authentically reflected the Go Ape experience, our team undertook a comprehensive content capture project. We directed and produced new video and photography on-site, gathering a rich library of assets that showcase the genuine excitement and energy of the adventures. This new content was a cornerstone of the redesign, bringing the thrill of the treetops to the screen.
Engineered for adventure, optimised for mobile
The Results
A world-class digital experience must be seamless, regardless of the device. For Go Ape, with a significant portion of its audience engaging on the move, a mobile-first philosophy was essential. We meticulously engineered a mobile-first experience that is fluid and intuitive, ensuring a flawless transition from mobile to desktop for every user. The result is a digital platform that truly captures the spirit of Go Ape: bold, accessible, and ready for anything.
