Hettema House Party was a special mailer created for colleagues in place of The Hettema Group’s annual IAAPA Conference party, which was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the global attractions industry facing unprecedented closures and uncertainty, the project was designed to keep our community connected, bring some fun into people’s homes, and offer a positive reminder of the experiences we create together.

The centerpiece of the mailer was a build-it-yourself cardboard model kit paired with a stylized animated tour of the The Hettema Group’s studio. Recipients could scan a QR code, place their smartphone into a custom-built cradle, and experience a first-person ride-through of an original THG-themed dark ride.

By combining physical making, digital storytelling, and interactive play, the project transformed a traditional mailer into an at-home immersive experience; bringing a little bit of the theme park experience to audiences when the parks themselves were closed.