A Fan-Favorite Event, Reimagined
The Fort Worth Zoo partners with Schaefer each year to bring fresh energy to its annual Zoo Run—an event that has consistently sold out the past two years. The challenge this year wasn’t just driving registrations, but pacing demand strategically to ensure the event didn’t sell out too early, while continuing to build excitement and expand its audience. Schaefer developed a campaign that maintained the playful, nostalgic tone participants had come to love – paired with a refined media strategy based on learnings from previous years.
Designed to Evolve
Schaefer led strategic planning, concept development, copywriting, design, and full-funnel media execution across out-of-home, paid search, paid social, email, text, streaming video, and local publications. The goal was to guide audiences seamlessly from awareness to registration while leveraging insights from prior campaigns to refine timing, targeting, and channel strategy. By combining creative development with data-driven media planning, the team ensured various media touchpoints contributed to both engagement and conversion.
Nostalgia Meets New Energy
The creative approach built upon the vintage, retro-inspired aesthetic that resonated strongly in 2025, evolving it with brighter colors and a more dynamic visual identity. The campaign highlighted the Zoo’s baby elephant, Lady Bird, alongside other fan-favorite animals, using illustrated elements to create a sense of personality and connection. Playful details such as sticker-style patches featuring phrases like “Lady Bird Fan Club” and “Fort Worth Zoo Athletic Co.” added a layer of charm and collectibility, reinforcing the event’s fun, community-driven spirit while expanding its visual appeal.
From Start Line to Sold Out
The result was a third consecutive sell-out for Zoo Run and a 32% YoY increase in total campaign impressions—demonstrating not only sustained demand but also the effectiveness of a more refined, strategic approach. By combining evolving creative with smarter media execution, Schaefer helped the Fort Worth Zoo maintain momentum while continuing to grow and engage its audience year over year.
Where Creativity and Strategy Converge
By pairing compelling, audience-driven creative with insights drawn from long-term client partnerships, Schaefer consistently delivers campaigns that meet—and often exceed—performance goals. The Zoo Run campaign proves that when creativity and strategy work hand in hand, even a sold-out event can keep getting better.
