“Klima Buddy – hilft CO2 sparen”: The new CO2 app of the state of Baden-Württemberg implemented by kr3m
The new CO2 app “Klima Buddy – hilft CO2 sparen” (Climate Buddy – helps save CO2) from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Interior has recently been made available in the Apple App Store and Google Play for iOS and Android devices. The innovative app is the first app worldwide to combine the Tamagotchi principle with climate protection, creating a serious game with high user retention.
The virtual pet appears in the form of the long-eared owl native to Baden-Württemberg, whose habitat is threatened by climate change. The CO2 app allows users to measure their own CO2 footprint and is provided with suggestions and tips on how to reduce and compensate for CO2 emissions. Through everyday CO2 missions that the user completes via the app, points are collected with which rewards in the form of features can be unlocked. In this way, the little long-eared owl can be fed, showered and dressed with cute accessories. In addition, the forest around the owl can be reforested, thus virtually improving its habitat. These reward functions promote user loyalty and thus continuous engagement with the app and its informative and playful content.
The state of Baden-Württemberg has set itself the goal of being climate neutral by 2040. In the project tender of the Ministry of the Interior, for Digitalization and Communities Baden-Württemberg for a new CO2 app, kr3m was able to prevail in the pitch against 30 competitors and convinced with the “Klima Buddy”. Our research on previous CO2 calculator apps revealed that no app could show convincing download numbers. We are talking about a few thousand downloads here, which is really little in comparison to successful games like “Candy Crush”, which generate billions of downloads. But what is the reason that previous CO2 apps have not been well received? They are all designed in a very high-quality and appealing way, but that is not enough for this serious topic that goes hand in hand with renunciation – they lack the game aspect, they are no fun! When we were designing the app “Klima Buddy – hilft CO2 sparen” (Climate Buddy – Helps Save CO2), it was clear that it could only work for us in combination with a proven game principle. And that’s what we found with the Pet, also known as Tamagotchi. The owl gives a high five and you can even tickle its feet.
Die CO2-App „Klima Buddy – hilft CO2 sparen“ wurde HTML5 programmiert und ist somit eine hybride App. Das bedeutet, dass wenn das Ministerium die neue CO2-App später sowohl auf ihrer Website als auch innerhalb einer anderen App nutzen möchte, dies dank HTML5-Programmierung problemlos funktioniert. Und zwar für Nutzer am PC, am Smartphone oder am Tablet. Zusätzlich haben wir die CO2-App mit einem Content Management System versehen, über das das Ministerium Inhalte selbständig einpflegen kann.
kr3m has been impressing customers for over 20 years with its combination of user-centered design and state-of-the-art web technology on both the client and server side.
kr3m is the market leader for HTML5 games and technology in DACH among publishers and media houses. Our customers include many well-known companies such as Deutsche Bahn, REWE, Rabobank, SWR, Daimler, DER SPIEGEL, ZEIT ONLINE, FOCUS Online, Handelsblatt, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Stern, BILD, BLICK, kurier.at and many more.
