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Austin Zoo and Sanctuary
Media Planner By: Jennifer, Allison, Casey, Tavy, Kristan, and Veronica
Table of Contents Situation ………………………………………………………………….. 2
What We Learned ………………………………………………………. 3
SWOT Analysis ………………………………………………………….. 4
Services …………………………………………………………………… 5
History ……………………………………………………………………. 6
Visitors …………………………………………………………………... 7
Social Media …………………………………………………………….. 8
Goals & Objectives ……………………………………………………. 9
Target Audience ……………………………………………………….. 10
Strategy …………………………………………………………………... 11
Messages …………………………………………………………………. 12
Channels …………………………………………………………………. 13
Video Process ………………………………………………………….. 14
Logistics ………………………………………………………………….. 15
Appendix …………………………………………………………………. 16
1
Situation
MISSION:
The Austin Zoo and Animal Sanctuary is a nonprofit rescue zoo
whose mission is to assist animals in need through rescue, rehabilitation,
and education. To accomplish its mission, the Austin Zoo takes in aban-
doned, injured, neglected, or illegally owned animals and provides them
with compassionate, individualized care. The Austin Zoo serves as a sanc-
tuary and a forever home for animals who have nowhere else to go.
PROBLEM:
One of the problems the Austin Zoo faces is a lack of awareness. Not
only do many people not know the zoo exists, but the zoo also does not
emphasize its position as a nonprofit entity and rescue zoo. Those that do
know the Austin Zoo exists may still be unaware of the zoo’s mission to
rescue and rehabilitate animals from all over the country. The only indica-
tion that the Austin Zoo is not a conventional commercial zoo is its hill
country setting. We hope that highlighting what the Austin Zoo can offer
as a nonprofit organization in our promotional video will help increase
visitor numbers and overall community awareness.
With repeated instances in the media of animal maltreatment and a
growing concern over animal confinement, it is important for the Austin
Zoo to detach itself from the negative stereotypes surrounding commer-
cial zoos today. Through our video, we hope to encourage more people to
visit the Austin Zoo by showing that the zoo serves as an animal sanctuary
and forever home and is not another commercial zoo that exists only for
profit.
2
What We Learned
WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE INTERVIEW:
We learned from our interview with Director Patti Clark that the Aus-
tin Zoo plans to build an on-site vet clinic. Many of the animals the zoo res-
cues need immediate medical attention and continued rehabilitation. Cur-
rently, animals that need medical checkups or operations have to be trans-
ferred to specialized veterinarians outside of Austin, Texas. With an on-site
vet clinic, the zoo can provide more convenient and timely care. While this
addition will surely benefit the zoo, building an on-site clinic is expensive
and needs additional funding to become a reality.
Because the Austin Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, the zoo
relies on money from visitors and donors to fund its projects, take care of
the animals, and pay the staff. Many factors affect how many people visit
the Austin Zoo, including time of week, the weather, and overall knowledge
that the zoo exists. Primary funding comes from admission fees which
makes increasing the number of zoo visitors essential. The Austin Zoo
works to increase zoo attendance through social media, special events, and
even Groupon.
3
SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
Wide variety of animals - both
domestic and exotic
Offers up-close, personal expe-
riences with animals
Educational classes, special
events, holiday themed celebra-
tions
Has well-educated, dedicated
staff members
Weaknesses:
Lacks financial funds for on-site
vet clinic
Far location from Central Austin
Relies on donations to keep zoo
running
Transferring animals outside of
Austin for vet care
Opportunities
Appeal to tourists through pro-
motional means (do512.com)
Clarifying stance as non-profit
organization, unlike most zoos
Increased social media pres-
ence, especially Instagram
Threats:
Overcoming negative stereo-
types about zoos
Bad weather and seasonality
Competition from Capital of
Texas Zoo in Bastrop
4
Services
SERVICES:
The Austin Zoo offers daily tours all year long and offers the oppor-
tunity for private tours as well. The zoo also welcomes small children to
join them for the Tiny Tots Class. This programs consists of a personal
tour and a fun, educational animal lesson. The Austin Zoo’s Senior Safari
Adventure also gives special tours to senior citizens and their caregivers
when they visit the facility.
Complementary to each tour, the Austin Zoo provides a train ride service
for guests to experience the scenic route through the hill country. Aside
from the tour, visitors are able to see the zoo’s off-display animals that in-
clude emus, alpacas, and longhorns. The train ride is 20 minutes and runs
every hour every week day.
As one of the most popular and requested animal educators in the country,
Safari Greg performs over 250 programs each year at zoos, school, librar-
ies, and other special events. Safari Greg is an animal educator who teaches
children about different zoo animals.
5
History
HISTORY OF THE AUSTIN ZOO:
Originally a family-owned goat ranch, in 1990 the ranch became
known as Good Day Ranch, taking in primarily goats, pigs, fallow deer,
donkeys and ponies who needed a home. By 1994, the ranch had grown to
include exotic animals, and to reflect this change the Good Day Ranch be-
came the Austin Zoo. Now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, a Board of Di-
rectors has operated the Austin Zoo since 2000. Patti Clark, the current di-
rector of the zoo, has served as director for over seven years.
The zoo currently owns over 350 animals representing more than 100
different species and includes older animals, animals seized in animal cru-
elty cases, retired laboratory research animals, and even rehomed, exotic
pets.
6
Audience
WHO VISITS THE AUSTIN ZOO:
The Austin Zoo attracts a diverse crowd of visitors, including families,
school-age children, senior citizens, and even international travelers. Offer-
ing a wide array of tours and activities, the zoo makes sure that each visi-
tor has a unique, enjoyable experience no matter their age. The zoo caters
to its diverse visitors through child educational programs, train rides, op-
portunities to create enrichment toys for the animals, a Senior Safari Ad-
venture, and birthday parties. In addition, many schools in and around the
Austin area take weekday educational field trips to the Austin Zoo, and out
of the 200,000 individuals who visit the zoo annually, tens of thousands
are students and teachers visiting on these field trips.
7
Social Media
SOCIAL MEDIA AND MEDIA COVERAGE:
The Austin Zoo has a presence on social media, but its presence could
be stronger. With over 14,000 likes and 35,000 page shares on Facebook,
Austin Zoo has a fairly strong presence on Facebook. Most of the zoo’s in-
formation on special events, promotions, and new animal arrivals are post-
ed and shared via Facebook. Because Austin Zoo focuses their communica-
tion efforts mostly on Facebook, its following on Twitter and Instagram
suffers, with only a little over 1,000 followers on Twitter and roughly 200
followers on Instagram. Though the Austin Zoo posts regularly each week
on both Facebook and Instagram, likes on Instagram pictures are minimal
because of a lack of followers. Conversely, the zoo receives anywhere from
15 to over 500 likes when the same pictures are posted on Facebook.
In terms of media coverage, the Austin Zoo receives a decent amount
of coverage on its special events, which include animal birthday parties,
holiday themed events, fundraisers and the arrival of new animals. When
Ruby, Corbin, and Tilly, the three rescued black bear cubs from Oregon, ar-
rived at Austin Zoo, local Austin news stations like KXAN covered the story.
The Austin American Statesman covered the annual Easter Egg Hunt that
occurs on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. We believe that increasing the
Austin Zoo’s social media presence and increasing overall awareness of the
zoo through our promotional video will help foster more positive media
coverage for the zoo.
8
Goals & Objectives
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
Our main goal is to increase attendance at the Austin Zoo through our
promotional video. We also want to increase overall awareness about the
Austin Zoo and emphasize its rescue, rehabilitative, and educational com-
ponents. In order to achieve our goals within one year, we have established
specific objectives including:
Increasing overall attendance by 15.
Increasing the number of Instagram followers by 10%.
Reaching 10,000 views, 500 likes and 50 tags and shares on the
zoo’s Facebook page
Having at least 15 shares on Twitter
9
Target Audience
TARGET AUDIENCE:
Our video targets families with young children, specifically parents
of the age 40 or younger, that reside in Austin, Texas. Families make up
the majority of visitors at the Austin Zoo and are likely to visit the zoo at
least once. The parents actively use Facebook and frequently share pic-
tures of their children in order to keep up with close friends and family.
They are very family oriented and prioritize spending time with their chil-
dren in entertaining and unique ways. Since families often live in neigh-
borhoods consisting of other families, we hope to create a chain reaction
with our video that will help generate positive buzz about the Austin Zoo
to other families in Austin.
10
Strategy
STRATEGY:
Our video strategy involves highlighting the best aspects of the zoo
through interviews, voiceovers, and footage of children and animals in order to
inspire our target audience to visit the zoo. Because our target market will have
easy access to our promotional video on the Austin Zoo’s website and Facebook
page, they will most likely view the video, especially if it contains valuable in-
formation and exciting footage. Parents, especially those with young children,
are more likely to enjoy a video that is crisp, clear, and straightforward. Includ-
ing interviews from small children will also attract parents and help them see
the Austin Zoo as a fun place for their children to visit. Our strategy will effec-
tively reach our target audience because the video is specifically catered toward
parents and will be available on easily accessible social media platforms.
We also plan to keep our viewers’ attention with a short video, less
than one and a half minutes long, so they will not feel bored with dragging
content. Each small clip is engaging, presents vital information about the
zoo, and will help educate viewers about the Austin Zoo. When parents
watch our short but engaging video that features cute, small children, dif-
ferent Austin Zoo animals, and basic but unique information about the zoo
itself, we know it will encourage them to visit the zoo.
11
Messages
MESSAGES:
Our video will show the Austin Zoo as a rescue zoo and encourage
families with young children to visit. We want to frame the Austin Zoo posi-
tively, showing a variety of happy animals along with several satisfied visi-
tors. Supplementing interviews with voice-overed content will further in-
form our target audience of what makes the Austin Zoo unique and hope-
fully help inspire them to visit. We included testimonials from young chil-
dren in the video to emphasize the fun and interactive aspects of the zoo.
Adding humorous but endearing interviews from children and the
professional perspectives from the Austin Zoo staff adds credibility to our
video. This authentic approach will help garner future visitors. Content-
wise, we focused on using words like “rescue,” “home,” and “non-profit” in
order to position the Austin Zoo as a rescue zoo, not a typical commercial
zoo. Even though our video’s purpose is to encourage more visitors, it will
also emphasize the Austin Zoo as a non-profit rescue zoo.
12
Channels
CHANNELS:
We will post our video on the Austin Zoo’s Facebook page, embedding the
video on the homepage, as well as on the zoo’s website. Posting the video on
Facebook gives future visitors the opportunity to learn more about the Austin
Zoo has to offer as a zoo. Not only does an engaging video help encourage site
viewers to visit the zoo, but it provides easy access for viewers to share on
their own social media platforms.
In addition, we can share the link via email or newsletter with previ-
ous zoo visitors. Since we hope past visitors are also repeat visitors, we can
encourage them to pass along information about the Austin Zoo to other
families they know who may also enjoy the zoo experience. Generating dis-
cussion about the Austin Zoo across different communities will help reach
potential new visitors and even encourage repeat visits.
13
Video Process
VIDEO PRODUCTION PROCESS:
We first interviewed Patti Clark, director of the Austin Zoo, to gain initial infor-
mation about the zoo. Our interview with Patti focused primarily on general infor-
mation about the Austin Zoo’s situation, so we were only able to use a small portion of
this footage for our video. We noticed that in the interview Patti did not specify that
the Austin Zoo was a non-profit organization. Instead, she described the zoo as a res-
cue zoo. We think it is important for viewers to understand how the zoo operates, so
we added a voiceover that explains that the zoo is a nonprofit organization that focus-
es on rescuing animals in need through rehabilitation and education.
While getting footage of the animals at the zoo was easy and fun, getting footage
of visitors proved more difficult. With verbal and written permission from legal guardi-
ans, we were luckily able to include small children in our video. We believe that includ-
ing testimonials and interviews are crucial for our video because they provide credibil-
ity to visitors’ attitudes towards the Austin Zoo. To add personality to our video, we
asked a few small children what they loved most about the zoo.
During the editing process, we wanted to ensure the video did not drag or was
too lengthy. We planned to incorporate as many animals as possible, so we decided to
keep each animal action shot for two seconds at the most. We found this worked well
because we were able to show a wide variety of animals and also make room for small
snippets of Patti’s interview. While we were pleased with Patti’s interview, we decided
to add one more interview with someone that works at the zoo to add more credibility
and insight. We scheduled another time to visit the Austin Zoo and interviewed Amy,
store and guest relations manager. She talked primarily about the animals, so we decid-
ed to incorporate her in the video since we wanted to mention more about how each
animal has a unique background story
If given another chance, we would have interviewed Safari Greg, the Austin Zoo
entertainer and education leader, and possibly include some B-roll footage of his
shows. Including him would been shown more of what the Austin Zoo offers to its visi-
tors and provide viewers with an additional reason to visit. Given his busy schedule
and privacy of special events, we were unfortunately unable to obtain any such footage
for our video.
14
Logistics
LOGISTICS:
As soon as we finalize the video, we intend to post the finished prod-
uct on the Austin Zoo website and Facebook page. There the video will re-
main a continuous feature on the website, and a pinned post on the Face-
book page. We will also encourage users to post about their experiences
with the zoo and share the video in order to increase exposure. We will
measure our success through the increased number of visitors over the
year, as well as by the number of new Facebook likes and shares. Addition-
ally, the video will serve as a focus piece on the Austin Zoo website to pro-
vide greater insight into what the zoo has to offer.
A year from when we post the video, we will measure the objectives
we set earlier. We will determine our success by number of likes and
shares, as well as by zoo attendance numbers. To gain further insight into
customer experiences at the zoo, we will encourage visitors to fill out a
quick survey when leaving or entering the zoo. The survey will ask how
they heard about the Austin Zoo and what inspired them to visit. This exer-
cise will help us learn how we can further advance our efforts in the future.
15
Appendix
ADVOCACY BLOGS:
The Black Bear Cubs Who Found Their Home
There’s a lot of negative connotation about zoos in general, but here’s why Austin Zoo
is different—the mission of Austin Zoo is to assist animals in need through rescue, re-
habilitation and education. This is unlike your traditional zoo since most zoos are built
for profit.
Austin Zoo is a rescue zoo that provides a forever home to the animals they save. For a
public relations class at The University of Texas at Austin, I’ve had the amazing oppor-
tunity to work with Austin Zoo and craft a promotional video, and I’ve heard fascinating
stories about the zoo and the animal rescues.
A lot of animals suffer from malnutrition out in the wild or even in other zoo facilities.
Austin Zoo is the one who takes them in, restores them to their healthy self, and keeps
them happy. Every animal at the zoo has their own unique story of how they got there,
and it’s amazing how well each animal is doing at their new home.
About a year ago, a mama-bear and her three black cubs were found in Oregon during a
logging activity. Like any other animal in this world, mama-bear fled for her life as her
habitat was being destroyed, leaving her cubs alone. The cubs were only two weeks old
and weren’t even able to walk or open their eyes! Since the mother was clearly not com-
ing back to claim her babies, the Oregon state veterinarian sent the cubs to Austin Zoo
for rehabilitation and further care. Austin Zoo is now a home to Ruby, Korben, and Tilly.
Today, you can see Ruby, Korben, and Tilly rough-housing with one another just like
your typical siblings wrestle. They’re happy and full of energy, and they’re always
climbing around having a fun time. Austin Zoo even threw them a first birthday party in
January. The bears weren’t able to have their own cake, but I’m sure they received some
extra lovin’ and donations from the public.
Yes, a zoo may not be an ideal home for a bear, (and in this case three of them), but if
not here, then where? Austin Zoo does such a great job in taking care of their animals,
and the bears are pretty happy. All of the zoo’s donations and admissions don’t go to
improving the zoo itself, but it goes to the animals’ needs.
- ### -
16
Appendix ADVOCACY BLOGS:
“Ohana” Means Family
“Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten,” Lilo
from Lilo and Stitch.
What do you think of when you hear Austin Zoo and Animal Sanctuary? Well, “zoo.”
When I hear that word, I flash back to my childhood field trip to the Dallas Zoo. Walking
trough elaborate biospheres filled with lions, cheetahs, monkeys, zebras and much
more (all in different areas, of course). Pretty close right? Commercialized zoos like the
Houston, Fort Worth, and Dallas Zoos are for-profit, meaning they purchase animals and
make money from visitors and souvenir sales. The Austin Zoo, on the other hand, is a
nonprofit, and its mission expands far wider than the entertainment and exploration
that the typical zoo hopes to provide.
When talking with friends about working with the zoo I got mixed responses. Most were
opposed to zoos for exploiting animals and making a spectacle of them. While I cannot
say that an animal has never been mistreated at a zoo, I can say that the Austin Zoo is
very different form the zoo you are thinking of, both in terms of facility and overall
treatment of animals. I got the opportunity to learn more by partnering with the zoo on
a project for my Public Relations Techniques course at The University of Texas at Aus-
tin. Through creating a promotional video for the organization, I have been able to talk
with the zoo director, Patti Clark, and gain first-hand insight into what the zoo has to
offer.
One thing I learned is that “animal sanctuary” often gets cut out of the title, but for me,
that encompasses the organization more than “zoo” ever could. The mission of the Aus-
tin Zoo is to provide a forever home for animals that have been abandoned, harmed or
illegally possessed. Rather than placing them back in the wild or letting Mother Nature
take her course, the zoo takes them in. By providing them care, rehabilitation, and ulti-
mately a forever home, Austin Zoo makes sure each animal receives the proper treat-
ment and individualized care they deserve.
- more -
17
Appendix
ADVOCACY BLOGS:
The zoo staff treats each animal as a child. They name each one and make sure each
creature’s story is told. One in particular that comes to mind is Lily the Arctic fox. Her
former owner purchased her while living in Canada, but when he moved to Texas, her
possession became illegal. He called the Austin Zoo and told them about the fox. Ra-
ther than waiting for them to return the call, he took matters into his own hands. The
next day he shoved her in a crate and left her on the doorstep of animal control. Upon
discovery, they immediately contacted the Austin Zoo. Staff members brought her to
the zoo and quickly realized she had a severe hip injury, which she had been enduring
for months now. Immediately taking her to their vet facility, Lily was treated and given
the much-needed care she deserved. She has since been restored back to health and
currently resides with her new family at the animal sanctuary. And as for the man that
abused her, he has since been charged with animal cruelty and neglect.
Stories like Lily’s are not uncommon around the zoo. Every animal has a story and the
trainers are well versed on each to provide a personal connection with the patrons who
enter the facility. I think that’s what makes the zoo so special. It is focused on caring
for the animals first. Getting to go see them is simply an added bonus.
While the Austin Zoo is not as grandeur as the zoos you might be used to, the experi-
ence is much more personal. So, don’t judge a book by its cover or a zoo by its title…
see what it really means to be a part of the Austin Zoo “ohana” and get involved today!
- ### -
18
Appendix
ADVOCACY BLOGS:
Lions, tigers, and…kangaroos? Rescue stories of the Austin Zoo and Sanctuary
When we first decided to choose the Austin Zoo for our nonprofit video project in our
Public Relations Techniques class, I was immediately excited because of my love for ani-
mals. Little did I know the Austin Zoo wasn’t just the Austin Zoo, it was the Austin Zoo
and Sanctuary, which is a lot different from regular zoos. It is different because not on-
ly are all of the animals rescues, it is also a nonprofit zoo. In our first meeting with Pat-
ti, the director of the zoo, she said something that really stuck with me. When she ex-
plained what the Austin Zoo was, she called it a “forever home” for the animals. Calling
it a “forever home” perfectly summarizes its mission to assist animals in need through
rescue, rehabilitation and education.
The zoo holds about 350 different kinds of animals. Each animal has its own personal
story of how it came to be there, whether it be a rescue from a failing zoo or someone
who bought an exotic animal that shouldn’t have. A great rescue story Patti told was
about a mix up they had when they first received Jason the kangaroo. One day Patti got
a call from Animal Control asking if they could take in a wallaby they had rescued out
of San Angelo, Texas. The Austin Zoo had cared for wallabies before so Patti agreed to
take it in. Two mornings later, she received an email titled “red roo?…wallaby?” with a
picture of the kangaroo. Much to their surprise, what at first seemed to be a little cute
wallaby was really a red kangaroo. The red kangaroo is the largest species of kangaroo
that can jump up to 6 feet high and up to 25 feet in one leap. Luckily they were able to
quickly build a sanctuary for the kangaroo, but this story certainly shows that you nev-
er know what new animal will make the Austin Zoo their “forever home.”
A particularly touching rescue story Patti told us was about Lily the artic fox. One Friday
morning, they received a call from a man that had just moved here from Canada. Unlike
Canada, in the United States most exotic animals you cannot own without special per-
mits. The man didn’t realize this, and left a message asking if they could take an artic
fox he owned.
- more -
19
Appendix ADVOCACY BLOGS:
Unfortunately Patti didn’t see this message till Monday morning. Shortly after she re-
ceived another call from Austin Animal Control asking if she could take in an artic fox
they had found abandoned. She told them not only could she take the fox in, she could
also tell them who the fox belonged to. At the time, Lily had a broken hip and wasn’t be-
ing fed well. Fortunately after a surgery and some recovery time, Lily is better than ev-
er. Her past owner was also tracked down by Austin Animal Control and charged with
animal cruelty.
From being a volunteer at the Austin Zoo and Sanctuary I have learned just how differ-
ent it is from other zoos. Hearing stories like Lily’s and Jason’s showed me the true
compassion Patti and the Austin Zoo staff have for the animals. No matter where the an-
imal is coming from or what situation they have been in, it is really all about the ani-
mals. The Austin Zoo is very focused on caring for all the animals and making it a forev-
er home for each and every animal that comes into their zoo.
- ### -
20