Posted: 12/28/2009
AKRON, OH (Dec. 22, 2009) – The Akron Zoo was awarded a MarCom Award from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. The zoo’s advertising agency, Highland Public Relations, received a platinum award, the highest honor, for the “See the world. Close to home.” promotional campaign conducted for the Akron Zoo during 2009.
The MarCom Awards is one of the largest, oldest and most respected competitions in the communications field. Winners range from Fortune 50 companies to international advertising agencies to individual communicators.
“It is an honor for the Akron Zoo and the creative people behind our advertising campaign to win an award of this magnitude,” said Linda Criss, Akron Zoo vice president of communications. “It’s obvious that we’ve found the right people, the right creative and the right media mix for getting the message out about the zoo.”
The Akron Zoo’s award winning advertising campaign features close-up photographs of prominent zoo animals and promotes the exotic animals that can be found at the zoo. Criss said many people don’t realize that the zoo is home to endangered species from around the world. The Akron Zoo houses snow leopards from the Himalayan Mountains, jaguars from South America, African lions from Africa and red pandas from China – just to name a few.
The zoo’s award-winning campaign was comprised of a strong mix of traditional media. Cable television, outdoor billboards and full color print ads in daily and weekly newspapers made up the majority of the campaign. It was also supplemented with a multi-station radio buy among other tactics.
Collateral materials designed as part of the “See the world. Close to home.” campaign were also submitted for the award submission.
Akron’s Highland Public Relations is the zoo’s agency of record. It has been responsible for developing the zoo’s advertising strategy and campaign creative since 2003. Highland Public Relations is a full-service public relations, marketing and advertising firm located in the Highland Square district of Akron.
The MarCom Creative Awards is an international competition for marketing and communication professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of marketing and communication programs and print, visual and audio materials. Entries are judged solely on their own quality, creativity and resourcefulness. Judges base their decisions on learned perceptions of creative excellence rather than an entrant’s explanation of an entry’s value or success.
Since 2003, the zoo has seen a steady increase in attendance, with a record high of more than 328,000 visitors in 2008. “Growing attendance is proof that our campaigns continue to create excitement and spread the zoo’s messages,” said Criss. “Even during bad economic times, we’ve enjoyed being able to bring families out of their homes and to the zoo for a chance to get nose-to-nose with our animals.”
The Akron Zoo is home to more than 700 animals from around the world and is open 361 days a year. Hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and admission is $10 for adults, $7.50 for senior citizens and $6 for children (ages 2-14). Children under two are free and parking is $2.00. For more information visit us at www.akronzoo.org or call 330-375-2550.
The Akron Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Look for the logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats.
Founded in 1993, Highland Public Relations serves its clients with integrated marketing-communications strategies that include strategic advertising, branding and marketing, along with public relations services. Highland PR also was awarded an honorable mention MarCom Award for their pro-bono work on Leadership Akron’s 2008-2009 annual report. For more information, visit www.HighlandPR.com.
# # #