Route · Airborne March
Keeping heroism alive for the Airborne March
The Airborne March partnered with Souvenirs to tell the stories of Operation Market Garden along its route, 20 collectible souvenirs that turned remembrance into discovery for thousands of marchers.
“This app offers a special collection of twenty collectible virtual souvenirs that tell stories about the events and heroes of 1944.”
The challenge
Passing heroes' stories to a new generation
The Airborne March is a living tribute to Operation Market Garden. Along the route lie countless stories of courage, sacrifice and resilience.
But those stories are scattered, hard to access, and at risk of being reduced to plaques and short speeches, or forgotten altogether.
The challenge: make these stories meaningful again for thousands of marchers.
“We didn't want the stories of our liberation buried by time, or drowned out by the festivities. Souvenirs adds a digital dimension through which we can pass on this unseen heritage.”
Amelieke Brinkhoff · Board member, Airborne MarchThe method
Turning stories into a living experience
We designed a collection of Market Garden souvenirs, each tied to a story along the march.
Participants unlocked the stories by approaching the locations, turning remembrance into discovery.
Banners along the route connected the physical walk to the digital experience, while email and social campaigns extended engagement before and after the event.
“By combining banners, gamification and digital storytelling, Souvenirs gave new life to memories that risked fading into the background.”
Stephanie Rozema · Board member, Airborne MarchThe collection
Collecting history on the march
Twenty unique coins for twenty unique stories, each tied to a location on the Airborne March.
Alongside the coins, two special cards brought two icons of Market Garden to life: John Frost's stand at Arnhem and the airborne landings that opened the operation.
Together they turned remembrance into a collection participants could carry with them.
“Souvenirs digitised the history and honoured it. The effort to get every name and place right was clear in every step.”
Thijs van der Laan · Board member, Airborne MarchThe march itself
4 routes · 20 souvenirs · 2 special cards
The results
History unlocked, step by step
700 participants unlocked stories during the march: the first to experience Market Garden in a new, digital dimension.
- Airborne marchers
- 35,000
- New downloads
- 700
- Souvenirs collected
- 2,730
- Kilometres walked in app
- 13,000
- Photos made in app
- 280
- New in-app friendships
- 30
What marchers said
“Really nice to learn that each part of the route had its own story. I walked the route for the 4th time, but now it felt like new.”
Mark Kuipers · Marcher“I already knew the big story, but through these coins I understand better what actually happened.”
Josje de Vries · Marcher“It gave some extra depth to the walk, which I really liked.”
Erik van den Berg · MarcherHave a story worth collecting?
Events, museums, cities, hotspots: if your place has a story, we can turn it into souvenirs collectors seek out and keep.
