I don’t have kids.

However, I do play helicopter parent to a really cool Wheaten Scottish Terrier named Rhodes (like the scholar) whom my colleague Adrienne Bartlett at TargetX has nicknamed “The Millennial Dog.” (Because he’s gifted, special, and one-of-a-kind. So much so that I found a reason to post him on my blog.)

But, throughout my adult life I’ve witnessed many friends become parents. And I’ve contributed to the “transportation systems” as shower gifts.

I love European design and the car guy in me is impressed with the Dutch Bugaboo strollers. Talk about premium pricing – around $1000!

Bugaboo launched a very engaging website called Bugaboo Daytrips where they selected cities across the globe and picked daytrips for parents and kids to walk about using their Bugaboo stroller. These daytrips are really in sync with the look and feel of the Bugaboo brand. Each city’s map was created by a local artist from that city and the daytrip route features kid friendly upscale stores, museums, art installations and more. The online tour includes photos and you can post in the guest book. When families are ready to take the actual daytrip, each map/route can be downloaded and printed to use as a guide on the outing.

It got me thinking about campus tours, and what we can learn from this Bugaboo experience:

-You have to stage experiences that are authentic to your brand – brands are mirrors.

-The Daytrips were designed to connect with both parents and kids – so should your tour (and website).

-One size fits all doesn’t work for campus tours – online or in-person.

-Why not have current students with different points of view help you create different online virtual tours of your campus and surrounding town/city or area(s)?

-Why not create “daytrips” for families who visit when tour guides aren’t available, or when families want to customize their tour based upon their interests – sports, music, certain majors, etc?

-The parents and kids who grew up riding in Bugaboos and taking Bugaboo daytrips will be visiting your campus in a few years. What kind of expectations about “the experience” do you think they’re going to bring with them?

Read more about our authors.  Jeff is the VP of the Consulting Division and also known as the “Apostle of Authenticity.” He crisscrosses the country speaking at conferences and working with our clients. He’s driven by a mission to inspire higher education executives and admissions offices to overthrow dead culture, embrace their authentic “DNA” and render engaging experiences.