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May 5, 2003 - Strategy Magazine
Regular Features

Campaign Spotlight
There's nothing quite like the zoo

by Kristen Vinakmens
page 4

A cat dressed as the king of the jungle might elicit a few laughs from friends, but it's a far cry from the awe a real lion is worthy of. That was the thinking behind a campaign by Calgary-based agency Parallel for the Calgary Zoo.

The goal of the print and outdoor campaign, that launched mid-April, is to convey the value of having an annual Calgary Zoo pass, according to Aaron Cunningham, the zoo's membership co-ordinator, who hopes to sell 40% more passes over last year. By showing domestic animals dressed as zoo animals - a Weimaraner dog, for instance, masquerades as an elephant, complete with a grey sock for his nose - the message is that there's no replacement for the zoo experience.

Last year's annual pass advertising directly addressed parents by using the tagline, "Who will your kids be hanging out with this summer?"

Cunningham says the current campaign seeks to attract kids by utilizing "goofy-looking" animals. Since children are considered to be persuasive when it comes to household purchases, he thinks they will put the pressure on parents to buy zoo memberships. "[At this time of year,] people start thinking about non-winter activities," says Cunningham. "We want to be sure that we're a unique proposition."

The agency approached the campaign with caution, concerned that some consumers might think they were portraying animals in a negative light. But while a cow is dressed in diagonal stripes like a zebra and played up for laughs, no animals were harmed in the process; the image was actually doctored via computer.

Explains Cunningham: "It's tricky ground for [us]. We need to take the high road when it comes to dignity of animals." He says the cat that was shaved to look like a lion was like that to begin with. (The cat, it turns out, is owned by the president of the Cat Groomers Association.) Cunningham says there hasn't been any negative reaction from the public.

Client: Calgary Zoo

Agency: Parallel

Creative Director: Joe Hospodarec

Copywriter: Kurt Beaudoin

Art Director: John Williamson

Account Director: Shari Fenn

Photographer: Michelle Ramberg (Roth and Ramberg)

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