Hoo Zoo has been one of Shropshire’s favourite family days out for 35 years. But anniversaries don’t market themselves — and with brand-new dinosaur attractions to shout about, this was too good an opportunity to waste on a standard ad campaign. So we didn’t do a standard campaign.
The Brief
Hoo Zoo came to us with a clear goal: make their 35th anniversary impossible to ignore.
That meant driving ticket sales over Easter and half term, but also reconnecting with local schools, building a database of engaged contacts, and reminding families across Black Country and Shropshire exactly why Hoo Zoo has been a regional institution for over three decades.
The challenge? Do all of that in a way that felt genuinely exciting not just another “visit us this Easter” spot.
The Execution
We built the whole campaign on Hits Radio Black Country & Shropshire, using audio in a way that went way beyond standard ad breaks.
On air, we ran:
- High-frequency branded trails and presenter-led endorsements
- Competition promotion tied to a schools mechanic
- Dynamic scripting that brought the dinosaurs, and the anniversary to life
- But the real magic came from the schools.
We invited local schools to enter a competition for the chance to win a class trip to Hoo Zoo plus a bespoke Hits Radio Creation Station workshop. The response? 58 schools entered. That’s not a typo.
The winning class from Christ Church CofE got to visit Hoo Zoo and then come into the studio, where they wrote scripts, directed sound effects, recorded voiceovers, and provided the actual dinosaur roars that ended up in the final broadcast creative.
The workshop was also adapted with a full SEN focus, making sure every child could take part meaningfully.
These kids didn’t just experience the campaign. They built it.
The Results
- 58 schools entered the competition across a focused regional catchment
- 100% opt-in data collected — giving Hoo Zoo a direct line to schools for future educational bookings
- Authentic broadcast content produced featuring real children’s voices and roars
- Heightened regional awareness across Easter and half term
- Stronger school relationships built, with long-term booking potential beyond the campaign itself
- “The children repeatedly told me that it was the best day ever!” — R. Moore, Christ Church CofE
Summary
A 35th anniversary could have been a moment for a nice commemorative ad. Instead, it became a community event, one that gave local families a reason to visit, gave schools a reason to engage, and gave Hoo Zoo a set of genuinely authentic broadcast assets made by the very audience they were trying to reach.
That’s what happens when you combine radio reach with real creative ambition.
Want to know what a campaign like this could look like for your attraction?