Fieldays to track farmers using GPS
GPS can get you from one end of the country to the other; door to door, by the easiest possible route. But how about a tracker routing the easiest path around Fieldays – something that is being tried out for the first time this year.
At the New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays, Vodafone is providing GPS trackers to 200 farmers visiting over the event.
This minute by minute account will help to provide data to the Fieldays Society, which will allow them to improve Fieldays in the future.
The aim of the Vodafone Fieldays Footprints is to follow 50 farmers per day who will have their movements tracked from the time they enter to the time they leave.
Vodafone’s Head of Brand Engagement, Tessa Tierney said that they have used GPS tracking devices before for other sponsorships, but this will be the first time she has worked on a mass trade show.
“We can measure dwell time on each site and the way that people move through a show, so it’s quite innovative on that front.”
These selected farmers have been chosen based on farming type and geographical spread throughout New Zealand.
The data collected will enable Fieldays Event Managers to enhance the plan and design of the site layout, facilities and overall Fieldays experience.
Ms Tierney said that Vodafone may use this solution to track this year but there will be plenty of potential for years to come.
“Next year it might be completely on an iPhone and we can track everybody who wants to be tracked through the Fieldays application we have created.
“Our economy is always changing and so are people’s shopping habits so this won’t be an idea that dies after one year, if anything it gets stronger. I just hope that Fieldays can become bigger and better next year and we can be a part of that too.”
For each of the participants entering they will receive two free entry tickets to Fieldays and a $20 food voucher.
