Denver Zoo:
2019 Campaign

Going into 2019, Denver Zoo’s marketing team had a complex two-pronged goal: to drive consumer engagement and attendance while raising awareness about the Zoo’s leadership in on-site animal care and global conservation. To connect the concrete (revenue) and abstract (awareness), the campaign put the customer at the center of a heartwarming narrative: “Our Animals Need People Like You.”

The crux of this campaign is a lighthearted comparison between Denver Zoo’s animal ambassadors and the human guests whose admission dollars are helping to provide them—and their wild counterparts–with world-class care. The pairs are connected both visually (expression/position) and verbally (similar names). Anchoring this playful imagery, though, is a serious message: “Your visit helps save animals here and in the wild.”

The campaign helped boost Denver Zoo’s revenue by 5.71% YOY, with a 25.6% spike in website visitors and 64.7% increase in sessions—plus a 15% YOY increase in social followers.

*All data Jan 1-Oct 31 of 2018 versus Jan 1-Oct 31 of 2019