{"id":71122,"date":"2021-08-03T12:05:32","date_gmt":"2021-08-03T10:05:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/venues\/?p=71122"},"modified":"2023-02-15T10:01:11","modified_gmt":"2023-02-15T09:01:11","slug":"zoo-advertising","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/venues\/blog\/zoo-advertising\/","title":{"rendered":"Zoo Advertising: 9 Tips to Put Your Zoo or Aquarium on the Map"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Zoos are havens from the stressors of the world, bringing visitors closer to the wild side of nature. Where else can you feel at one with the energetic impishness of a monkey? Aquariums offer the same sort of respite from daily life. Wandering the concourse of an aquarium, your visitors find themselves lost in the mesmerizing allure of a smack of jellyfish. 

But how to communicate these wondrous experiences in your zoo or aquarium marketing and advertising? How to get across the thrill of being subjected to the lion\u2019s imperious gaze? The tactile sensation of handling a starfish?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are nine examples of zoo and aquarium advertising and marketing that your own venue can use as inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Create buzz about a specific exhibit or experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unlike museums, where specific and temporary exhibits are often the main draw for visitors, a lot of people tend to think of zoos and aquariums as \u201cevergreen\u201d \u2013 a good place to visit anytime. But on the flip side, they also don\u2019t expect the exhibits at zoos and aquariums to change much. This can detract from a sense of urgency around getting there \u2013 and around repeat visits. 

As a marketer, it\u2019s your job to bring that sense of urgency back by highlighting what\u2019s new, fresh, and exciting. If you have a new resident coming in or introduce a new animal encounter, share the news on your marketing channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marketing<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As one example, the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans received the 2020 Excellence in Marketing Award for the campaign \u201cAudubon Zoo Lions: The Roar Returns.\u201d The big news was a brand new, state-of-the-art lion habitat. The zoo\u2019s marketing campaign reached across channels and leaned into creative partnerships with cause-oriented organizations such as the Louisiana SPCA and Disney\u2019s Protect the Pride campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, this campaign reached more than 3 million people and generated a publicity value of nearly $10M, according to a press release by the zoo<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Draw attention to a renovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Renzo
Photo by merlo fotografia<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Occasionally, your zoo or aquarium might have even bigger news, such as a renovation or an entire new building. Europe\u2019s largest aquarium, the Italian Acquario Di Genova, was established in 1992 on Genoa, Italy\u2019s Old Harbour. Several years later, a showstopping addition was brought in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Architect Renzo Piano\u2019s seven-story, 94-meter-long Cetaceans Pavilion, constructed from concrete<\/a> with a series of open-air tanks and viewing decks, allows visitors to view whales, dolphins, and porpoises from either above or alongside the creatures in the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The addition was constructed in a dry dock in La Spezia, pulled by tugboat through the harbor, and assembled in the Voltri Shipyard. This marine spectacle was a high-profile public event that both the museum and the architectural firm showcased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your museum or aquarium probably won\u2019t have a colossal event like this happen every day, every year, or even every decade \u2013 but when it does, make the most of the occasion by sharing it liberally on every marketing channel you\u2019ve got. If you\u2019re working with a partner such as an architecture firm or a designer, combine forces to spread the word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Be the biggest and best at something<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There doesn\u2019t have to be an exciting event or entire overhaul coming down the pipe to flaunt your special attributes. What\u2019s unique about your zoo or aquarium every day? What really sets you apart?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An
Tiergarten Sch\u00f6nbrunn of Vienna<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Tiergarten Sch\u00f6nbrunn of Vienna<\/a> has continuously operated since 1752 \u2013 making it the oldest zoo in the world. Originally created as the imperial menagerie of Sch\u00f6nbrunn Palace, it\u2019s a beautiful and quirky zoo where you can visit such unique species as oriental small-clawed otters and arctic wolves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dubai
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo<\/a> not only houses the world\u2019s largest suspended aquarium \u2013 which you can glimpse while walking through the Dubai Mall \u2013  it also has the world\u2019s biggest collection of sand sharks. When you\u2019re the best, or have the most, or are the biggest or most attention-grabbing, marketing is easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Balance access to wild animals with promoting conservation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most zoos and aquariums have two critical missions. One is to expose the public to a wide variety of species and habitats in a convenient, beautiful environment. The second is to further conservation efforts and awareness in order to better protect our earth\u2019s ecosystems and fauna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it\u2019s easy to promote the first mission, zoos and aquariums that offer transparency and outreach around their conservation efforts often get even more attention. Zoos and aquariums play a critical role in funding and running conservation programs that truly matter to people. Your conservation efforts are just as newsworthy as your \u201cmain attractions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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