Bristol Zoo’s Wow! Gorillas are Apps-olutely gorilliant! - 08/08/11

Submitted by lucy on Mon, 2011-08-08 10:55

 

With the success and popularity of Bristol Zoo’s Wow! Gorillas, the Zoo is now launching two free mobile phone apps and an online photo competition for the project.

The apps – one for Android phones and another for iPhones - aim to help as many people as possible enjoy the Wow! Gorillas trail and get more involved in the project.

The Android mobile phone app has been developed for the zoo for free, by Bristol based mobile app development company, Mubaloo.It enables people to see the locations of the gorilla sculptures on a Google map and click the icons to view information about each of the 60 gorillas on the trail.

It also includes an Augmented Reality view of the gorilla's locations so you can view their direction and distance overlaid on the device camera; take photos of the gorillas and upload them to a free photo sharing server, and tick off each Wow! Gorilla sculpture from a list as the trail is completed. The app is free to download and available via the Android Marketplace at https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mubaloo.bristolgorillaar

Matt Hatch, Managing Director of Mubaloo, said: "We are thrilled to have been able to develop and donate this Android app to Bristol Zoo for their Wow! Gorillas campaign. We hope the app will enable more people to know about, get involved with and support such a great cause."

The iPhoneapp, which is also called ‘Wow Gorillas’, also allows users to see the 60 gorilla locations on a map, find out more about each gorilla sculpture, take photos and upload them to facebook, and tick off the gorillas as they are found. The app, which has been developed by local zoo supporter, Jason Trask, is also free to download from the iPhone App Store at http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/wow!-gorillas/id453299756?mt=8.

Everyone who ticks off all 60 gorillas using either of the two apps will be eligible for one half price voucher to visit the zoo.

The Zoo is also launching a photo competition on Facebook, inviting members of the public to upload their best photo of a Wow! Gorilla and be in with a chance of winning a selection of prizes.

The photo competition runs from tomorrow (Tuesday, August 9) until Sunday, September 4 and has been developed by Bristol-based social media company, Montage Communications.

Matt Anderson, commercial director, said: "Montage Communications is delighted to be working with Bristol Zoo Gardens' Wow! Gorillas' public art event. Our strategy is to create a fun and engaging interactive social media competition inviting Facebook users to upload a photo of themselves with their favourite Wow! Gorilla.

“Working with Twitter users and supporters in the blogosphere, we aim to harness the online groundswell of support for Wow! Gorillas to raise awareness of, and secure long term interest in, gorilla conservation.”

He added: "Visit www.facebook.com/WowGorillastoday and become involved in one of the city's most pioneering and interactive art events!"

To enter the competition, visit the Facebook page, upload a photo of your favourite Wow! Gorillas sculpture with a caption explaining why it is your favourite.

You can then share and get your Facebook friends to vote for your photo. After the closing date of September 4, the 10 photos with the most votes will form a short list, with the top three winners being chosen by a panel consisting of members from Bristol Zoo, Wild In Art as well as representatives from the prize sponsors.

  • 1stprize: The Bristol Zoo Package. A range of unique experiences to the value of £500.
  • 2ndprize: Overnight stay, dinner, bed & breakfast for two people at the Holiday Inn Bristol City Centre, including Champagne on arrival, donated by Holiday Inn Bristol City Centre.
  • 3rdprize: A two night weekend stay for two people at theBristol Marriott Hotel City Centre, including breakfast, donated by Bristol Marriott Hotel City Centre.
  • 4thprize: £100 gift card to spend at The Mall Cribbs Causeway, donated by The Mall Cribbs Causeway.

Paul Pritchard, Marketing Coordinator at Bristol Zoo, said “The introduction of our Facebook competition and the two new mobile phone applications are a great addition to this exciting city-wide project.

“The Facebook competition will give all Wow! Gorillas fans the opportunity to showcase their favourite Wow! Gorillas sculpture, share it with their friends and family and have an opportunity to win some great prizes.”

For more information about Wow! Gorillas, visit the Bristol Zoo website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/wow-gorillas  or call 0117 9747 300. 

ENDS

For press enquiries please contact the Bristol Zoo Gardens press office:

Lucy Parkinson, T: 0117 974 7306, E: lparkinson@bristolzoo.org.uk

Vanessa Hollier, T: 0117 974 7309, E: vhollier@bristolzoo.org.uk

Notes to Editors

Bristol Zoo’s Wow! Gorillas’ project

  • This year Bristol Zoo celebrates its 175th anniversary and wants to do more than celebrate.
  • The highlight of Bristol Zoo’s 175th anniversary year sees dozens of life-size gorilla sculptures placed on the streets of greater Bristol in a mass public art trail for 10 weeks this summer.
  • Bristol Zoo’s gorilla sculptures have been created by Wild in Art, which promotes art through the use of unique animal sculptures as three dimensional artist’s canvas.
  • The gorilla sculptures have each been individually painted by local artists and sponsored by local businesses and organisations.
  • As well as showcasing the wealth of creative talent the city has to offer, this eye-catching public exhibition will attract tourists to Bristol, while encouraging Bristolians to be tourists in their own city. The trail also aims to engender civic pride, stimulate the local economy and create a fun event for everyone to enjoy.
  • On September 29th the Wow! Gorillas sculptures will be sold at a prestigious charitable auction to raise money for Bristol Zoo’s gorilla conservation projects and Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal, The Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity.

 

Bristol Zoo Gardens

  • Bristol Zoo Gardens is a conservation and education charity and relies on income from visitors and supporters to continue its important work. 
  • Over that past 175 years, the Zoo has brought six generations of Bristolians closer to wildlife, helped save over 175 species from extinction, established over 30 field conservation and research programmes   all over the world, showed 40 millionschool aged children the wonder of nature and given more than 90 million visitors a wonderful day out.
  • Throughout the year Bristol Zoo will be bringing people, businesses, charities and wildlife together to share amazing experiences that raise awareness and funds to save threatened wildlife and places. To find out more, visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk/whats-on
  • The Zoo will be focusing its efforts on raising funds and awareness in support of gorilla conservation and will be supporting theEuropean Association of Zoos and Aquaria Ape Campaign.
  • The EAZA Ape campaign aims to make a significant and lasting contribution to the continued survival of apes and their habitats, and is being led by Dr Bryan Carroll, the Director of Bristol Zoo. www.bristolzoo.org.uk/conservation-campaigns.
  • Bristol Zoo has supported and been actively in gorilla conservation in Cameroon since 1998.

 

Mubaloo

Mubaloo is a Bristol based mobile App development company. With over 50 staff and arguably the best team of in-house mobile developers in the UK, Mubaloo has developed over 100 bespoke Apps, integrating with businesses and brands to solve their business problems in engaging, creative and productive ways. Mubaloo has experience working across a number of industry sectors with clients including RBS, Experian, Samsung, AXA, and William Hill. 

http://mubaloo.com/