Houston Zoo Brand Case Study

The Houston Zoo became a private non-profit in 2002, and while awareness is high that there is a zoo, there was a public perception that the Zoo was still as a city-run facility, which impacts the desire to attend and the ability to raise funds for development. While many changes were made to the exhibits and physical facility the zoo had not kept pace and the experience was missing.

Challenge:

Revitalize the brand and communicate the experience to many diverse audiences, raising the profile of the Zoo across broad sectors. And, to de-bunk the feeling if I don’t have kids, the Zoo is not for me. Develop a strategic marketing plan in place and reorganize several different departments.

In 2007, The Houston Zoo also faced an admission increase –the first in two years raising the adult ticket price from $8.50 to $10.00, attendance was flat, although memberships had been increasing.

Our challenges were many but none more prevalent than to generate gate attendance, encourage repeat visitation; keep animal experiences top of mind and find new revenue streams. We were also tasked with improving the usage of Access tickets—a program for economically disadvantaged families and to find a way to improve mobility during peak visitation. Lastly, to create effective marketing programs on a shoe-string budget.

Objectives:

• Increase attendance.
• Raise top of mind awareness.
• Develop a communications plan to offset ticket increase.
• Restructure and merge graphics; website; public affairs, advertising, special events and graphic design into one department all focused on generating attendance and revenue.
• Promote the birth of a new baby elephant and the arrival of African wild dogs.
  

Strategy:

Reposition the Zoo as experience based, immersion in naturally wild environment. If you haven’t been to the Zoo lately, take a new look. The strategy was to communicate that the Zoo is a new zoo—that every day it offers a new experience while emphasizing that it is indeed a new Zoo from years ago.

A huge departure in strategy was to not focus on children in advertising. Identify key areas of growth—venue sales, front gate, promotional day-parts. Develop an overall marketing campaign communicating brand concentrating on:

• Advertising—print, radio, TV, outdoor electronic
• Media relations
• Promotions
• Groups sales
• Website—launch new interactive site
  

Results:

• Back to back increases in attendance, rising to historic levels.
• 70% increase in venue sales
• Event attendance up
• Paid adults up
• Generated in-kind media support equal to ad budget.
• 48% increase in membership transactions online
  

Listen to the Houston Zoo Borneo 30 second radio spot

What are you most proud of?

Generating the highest attendance since the Zoo privatized. The launch of the new website www.houstonzoo.org was a huge accomplishment. Not only is the site brand driven, the interactive components truly set the site apart. Site traffic will surpass 2 million. Most importantly, the site generates leads, online transactions and raises the profile of the Zoo in the community.

Diversification of business units was critical to the Zoo’s success. Increased marketing in the area of venue sales included a 4-color corporate picnic mailer introducing every employer in Houston to the Zoo as a place for outings and visits, producing a return on investment of 1000%.