Amazing creatures help launch Bristol Zoo’s striking new campaign

From this week (May 10^th), the Zoo’s striking summer campaign will roll out across Bristol, showcasing the result of an activity inviting children to design their own animals. 

The outcome is a series of billboard adverts featuring imaginary creatures such as the ‘flabeego’, ‘gorilla armadilla’, ‘flion’ and ‘duck-billed snappypus’.

The creatures began life as the creations of youngsters from Ashton Gate Primary School, who worked with design agency 375 tojoin together some of the Zoo’s most well known animals – lions and birds; flamingos and bees; gorillas and armadillos and flamingos and bumble bees - to create a series of amazing new species.

Heather Holve, head of marketing at Bristol Zoo, said: “These new billboards are really eye-catching and show some of the fantastic creations the children came up with once they let their imaginations run wild. At Bristol Zoo we hope to inspire and ignite the imaginations of visitors of all ages, and we wanted this campaign to be an extension of that.”

 Heather added: “We were also keen to recognise that this year is the International Year of Biodiversity and we feel that this campaign also celebrates the amazing variety of animal life in all its weird and wonderful glory.”

Charlotte Thomas, a teacher at Ashton Primary School said: “We had a lot of fun creating these new animals. The children were so imaginative and shared their ideas with each other well. The class are automatically interested in anything to do with animals, so it was very easy to engage their interest in the topic. It was also great to have the opportunity to work with Bristol Zoo - as soon as the children knew it was a zoo project they really pulled out all the stops.”

Harvey Whitehead, Managing Director of Bristol Zoo’s design agency, 375, said: “This campaign was a brilliant opportunity to work with some of the most inspired imaginations in the region – those of the children – to create a unique and memorable campaign which we hope will also raise a smile”

The Zoo’s 2010 summer campaign coincides with the launch of its new website later this month (May) and a new ‘look’ for the Zoo. The new website allows greater interaction for visitors, enabling them to leave feedback, enter online competitions and polls, watch Zoo videos and navigate the web pages more easily. It is part of a Zoo-wide re-brand that will also see new logos and uniforms introduced over the coming months.

For more information about Bristol Zoo Gardens visit the website at www.bristolzoo.org.ukor phone 0117 974 7300.

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Higher res images are available on request, please contact Bristol Zoo’s press office:

Lucy Parkinson, T: 0117 974 7306, or email: lparkinson@bristolzoo.org.uk
Vanessa Hollier, T: 0117 974 7309, email: vhollier@bristolzoo.org.uk

Notes to the Editor:

BristolZoo Gardens

• Bristol Zoo Gardens is an education and conservation charity and relies on the income from visitors to support its work. 
• Throughout 2010 Bristol Zoo will be running a series of events to highlight the importance of conserving the world’s biodiversity, as part of the international Year of Biodiversity. For more information visit the Zoo website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/about/conservation/campaigns/iyob
• To find out more about the UN’s International Year of Biodiversity visit the website at www.biodiversityislife.net
• Bristol Zoo is open from 9am every day except Christmas Day. 
• The Zoo is involved with more than 100 co-ordinated breeding programmes for threatened wildlife species. 
• Itemploys 140 full and part-time staff to care for the animals and run a successful visitor attraction to support its conservation and education work. 
• BristolZoo Gardenssupports – through finance and skill sharing - over 12 projects in the UK and abroad that conserveand protectsome of the world’s most endangered species.
• BristolZoo Gardensis a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums. BIAZA represents more than 90 member collections and promotes the values of good zoos and aquariums.

375

• 375 is an integrated marketing agency based in central Bristol with a client portfolio including Bristol Zoo, At-Bristol, Eden Project, Met Office, Centre for Sustainability, Plantronics and Exor.
• ‘375 Thinking Louder’ is a trademark of 375, an agency which ‘move minds’ - always challenging convention and providing insightful solutions to clients needs.