E NOVICE
Recruitment campaign for the Trappist of Koningshoeven
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For the Trappists of Koningshoeven we developed the world's first online novitiate; eNovice. This platform allows interested parties to become acquainted with monastic life in an interactive and fully digital manner. More and more people are inform themselve online when they consider entering monastic life. However, there was little information to be found on the web. This resulted in potential candidates coming forward with insufficient and misleading knowledge of life inside a monastery. To overcome this problem we developed eNovice, a digital novitiate where a potential candidate can get a taste of monastic life and to see whether this is something that sounds appealing. The campaign was decorated with the Werf& award as best labor market communication of 2021.
Briefing
Inform potential monks about monastic life
Insight
Monks do not choose monastic life because it is so romantic, easy or fun. Rather, they choose life despite the fact that it is often dull, heavy and monotonous.
Strategy & concept
eNovice - The world's first digital novitiate. A storytelling website and email campaign that, in addition to lots of information, tells potential monks the honest and raw story of a monastic life, and introduce them to this life over an extended period of time.
Results
The world premiere generated a lot of free media attention and a continuous flow of eNovices. In addition, the project was awarded the prestigious Werf& award for best labor market communication of 2021.
As a visitor you are taken through the process step by step; from the first contact to the final vows. In addition to the guidance given by the abbot at each stage, there are intimate and revealing testimonials given by the monks themselves. By signing up to the eNovice newsletter, digital novices are stimulated to continue their vocation at home with inspirational exercises, online prayer services, and much more.
This website was developed in complete harmony with the core values of monastic life; silence, simplicity and seclusion. On the fast lane that is the internet, it’s like a slow and crooked road, regularly asking you to stop and take a minute in order to fully grasp the rhythm and beauty of living inside the walls of the abbey. For example, the website consists of a very long (UX “unfriendly”) one-pager and the video players give no time indication nor the ability to fast forward.
