Background:
The Adelaide Zoo needed a school holiday promotion to increase traffic and awareness during a period where not only does the zoo have no new exhibits, but large parts of the zoo are under construction preparing for the arrival of Pandas in 2009.
Objectives:
Develop a campaign to:
- Push the Orangutan conservation message
- Ensure the zoo is top of mind with parents and kids during the school holidays
Insight:
It was recently discovered that human redheads were diminishing in numbers and research suggested that within 100 years, we may not have any redheads on the planet at all. Because this is a human extinction issue, rather than an animal one, it has a greater degree of “human” interest. By linking the plight of human redheads to orangutans, we can generate a greater understanding of what it means to lose a species and perhaps increase people’s desire to visit the zoo and see the animals again. Ranga is a colloquialism for redheads as popularised by Chris Lilley in the tv show, Summer Heights High. It is a reference to orangutans and therefore the perfect link.
Creative:
As the headline “We’re in this together” suggests, this is an issue that humans and orangutans share and can only solve together. By depicting the redheaded child next to an orangutan we zoom in on the parents desire to protect our endangered redheads. It’s the line “Free entry for all rangas” that is the hook in this press ad though. By providing something for free for redheads, the zoo is giving something back to the community while raising interest in the orangutans. The result is an edgy call to action on the plight of orangutans and provides a reason to return to the zoo.
Media:
The ad ran in the Saturday Advertiser, Sunday Mail and Weekend Australian on the first weekend of the school holidays. Each were either full page or dominated the page.
Results:
The Advertiser newspaper ran a story on Monday highlighting the complaints made by parents that the promotion was discriminating against blondes and brunettes and how the zoo backed down by saying that anyone who coloured their hair red could have free entry. This article then went online and a forum discussing the issues on “rangas”, discrimination, teasing, redheads and the plight of orangutans followed. The article was picked up by bloggers everywhere and soon it was a national issue as covered by Triple J radio, the Rove Live national television program, ABC radio Adelaide, and websites from all over the world. As one blogger wrote, “you had to be Helen Keller to have missed the zoo story this week”. While much of the press headlines appeared to be negative, the articles were less so and the overwhelming blog response was in favour of the zoo.
The zoo enjoyed massive attendances during the school holidays, raised awareness of the plight of orangutans at a national level and ensured the public knew the zoo had conservation objectives above all other things. Not bad for three press ads in Adelaide.
