NEWS
THERE’S CUTE, AND THEN THERE’S ‘MEERKUTE’:
WONGDOODY LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR NEW MEERKAT EXHIBIT AT WOODLAND PARK ZOO
Quirky New Ads Promote Meerkats’ ‘Meerkute’ Factor
SEATTLE – April 29, 2010 – The word “cute” is about to get redefined. Independent marketing ideas agency WONGDOODY today released a catchy original music video, “Do the Meerkute,” to promote the upcoming meerkat exhibit at Woodland Park Zoo. Featuring a song by Chris Ballew, lead singer of Grammy-nominated alternative rock band “The Presidents of the United States of America,” the video is part of a larger “Meerkute” marketing campaign by WONGDOODY that encourages locals and visitors alike to see the Zoo’s newest attraction, the meerkats. The exhibit opens Saturday, May 1.
The video, launched today on the Zoo’s Web site (http://www.zoo.org) as well as on video-sharing site YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/woodlandparkzoo), aims to appeal to both children and kids-at-heart with its enthusiastic jingle. Viewers are encouraged to submit videos of themselves doing the “Meerkute,” and the Zoo will select the best performances to post on their YouTube channel. The video also will be part of in-theatre pre-shows at local cineplexes.
In addition to the video, WONGDOODY created “Meerkute” radio spots, transit boards, billboards, online banners, print ads and posters. The executions combine the current cultural appeal of meerkats, as evidenced in the popularity of TV shows such as Animal Planet’s “Meerkat Manor,” with the adorable personalities of the animals to create “Meerkute.” The radio ads promise to grab attention with its ridiculous, over-the-top delivery, while the print work’s simple, colorful visuals show that various cute objects and toys, from yellow rubber ducks to a group of friendly gnomes, just can’t compare to the sweet-faced yet subtly mischievous meerkats.
“Our campaign amplifies the charisma that both kids and adults have come to associate with meerkats,” said Tracy Wong, WONGDOODY chairman and executive creative director. “The ads are playful and exude the kind of fun and energy that people will experience when seeing them in person.”
The “Meerkute” campaign will continue through August 2010 in the Seattle metro area, with radio ads airing on local radio stations and print and online executions appearing in regional news outlets such as the Seattle Times, SeattlePI.com and King5.com. Billboards and transit ads can be seen throughout Seattle.
About WONGDOODY
WONGDOODY is an independently owned full-service marketing ideas agency with offices in Seattle and Los Angeles. Clients include Alaska Airlines, Autodesk, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ESPN, Mercury Insurance and T-Mobile. WONGDOODY has 147 employees and $166 million in billings. For more information visit www.wongdoody.com.
About Woodland Park Zoo
Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), award-winning Woodland Park Zoo is famed for pioneering naturalistic exhibits and setting international standards for zoos in animal care, conservation and education programs—all at the core of the zoo’s mission. The zoo is helping to save animals and their habitats in Washington state and around the world including tree kangaroos, snow leopards, red-crowned cranes, African wild dogs, western pond turtles and Oregon silverspot butterflies. By inspiring people to care and act, Woodland Park Zoo is making a difference in our planet’s future.
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Media Contact:
Jennifer Cody or Connie Sung
WONGDOODY
(310) 280-7717 or (310) 280-7963
jennifer.cody@wongdoody.com
connie.sung@wongdoody.com
“MEERKUTE” CAMPAIGN
Client/Brand: Woodland Park Zoo
Agency: WONGDOODY, Seattle
Chairman and Executive Creative Director: Tracy Wong
Creative Director: Mark Watson
Art Director: Stephanie Malaki
Copywriter: Jennie Moore
Agency Broadcast Producer: Dax Estorninos
Agency Broadcast Editor: James Whittington
Agency Print Producer: Marilyn Lone
Media: Cher Marckx
Account Management: Annie Richards
“Do the Meerkute” Music Video
Composer: Eric Englehorn
Vocals: Chris Ballew
Sound Design: Clatter & Din
Sound Engineer: John Buroker