Notice about possible giant otter birth

Notice about possible giant otter birth
02-09-2012

On fence beside pool, 1st September 2012

02-09-2012

Chester's signage nowadays is aimed more at children rather than their old signage they used to display.

02-09-2012

Yes it really highlights the serious conservation mission of the zoo--NOT
I find this entire brand identity approach both puzzling and, frankly, offensive.

02-09-2012

Well thats the type of branding you get when you let a Chimp design it,Chester should never have let Boris any where near the colouring pencils!!

02-09-2012

I asked at the AGM how much they had paid the chimpanzees for the rebranding. Most people in the audience laughed, but the zoo's representatives didn't seem terribly pleased.

02-09-2012

Hang on a minute, whilst I'm not a fan of the new branding I'm going to defend it here.

The zoo must have invested a fair bit of money going through the re-branding so that the 'brand' is aimed towards the vast majority of the zoos audience [children/families]. The very small percentage that seems to think it matters that it doesn't reflect the conservation work is irrelevant!

Why does the branding need to say 'look at us, we're a serious, stuffy, scientific group that spends lots of money on conservation and research?' The people that care that they do that know that they do it, and in my opinion if the branding being aimed at children pulls more families in, it means the zoo has seen the majority of their audience and is not trying to alienate them. With that, they will get higher visitor numbers and more money to spend on the important things that most of the zoo's audience [let's face it] hardly gives a toss about!

02-09-2012

Pernickety Pertinax says; 'I thought Otters had Cubs, not Pups?

The 'childish' signage-style doesn't bother me that much- if that's their chosen brand, so be it. I can still get the message, however its portrayed. Its good news if correct btw and if so I hope they can rear this first litter.

02-09-2012

Style and substance are separate.
I agree that the style is horrible in every way - font, graphics, colour choice and wording. It may have been a rushed job, which would excuse some of these faults.
On the other hand, I thoroughly approve of the fact that the information is provided for visitors and I hope it will updated as soon as more is known.
BTW Wikipedia suggests whelp, kit or pup for an infant otter. I vote for kit

Alan

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03-09-2012

How can the zoo not know if the otters have babies (pups, cubs, otterlings, kits, whelps, whatever)?

03-09-2012

I assume because the moment they noticed any behavior that indicates it then they've stayed far from the den. If you're zoo potentially had newborn giant otters, the last thing you would do is risk disturbance by looking in on them

03-09-2012

I completely agree with JR's comments above.
But there is another complication too: otters are mustelids, so they may show delayed implantation of the embryos and therefore you cannot predict the birth of the kits even if you know the exact date of mating.

Alan

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03-09-2012

At the risk of being controversial, I REALLY like the new branding !!! (now wouldn't that sentence have looked better in a hand-drawn font ). Maybe it's because of its naievity, which reminds me of being an eleven year old designing my own zoo. But it is quite clever and on a warm, human scale. I think the logo is pretty underwhelming though. I guess like Javan Rhino says, most people don't really notice it, except perhaps on a subliminal level.

03-09-2012

It doesn't, but good branding should surely encompass both; in this case to convey the status of an organisation but in an accessible, friendly way.

Look at Edinburgh's branding in comparison. The logo is not only visually beautiful, but the penguin captures young people's imagination, is instantly recognisable and is wholly fitting, whilst the font style is both readable and classy.

Incidentally, while Chester's logo and fonts may appear to be aimed at children as they're perceived as the largest visitor demographic, they are a small minority when it comes to actually planning zoo visits, locating facilities and finding their way around. For example, in the main, adults use the zoo map and it should be aimed at them.

Likewise American studies have shown that if zoos weren't perceived as being so child-focussed, they'd actually gain an increased number of visitors, primarily from young adults and those without children so it's actually a mistake to focus purely on child-friendly marketing strategies.

07-09-2012

I too love the new graphics!! I read a whole article on the concept behind the font design, and I bought it. The sign for the otters is a horrible colour & not worded very well though. I don't think the font style is aimed just at kids, I'm 37 and it appeals to me!!!

11-09-2012

I wasn't too keen on the new graphics, but now, but for the map, I'm alright. I'm glad it's been rolled out consistently rather than some previous half-hearted attempts (see "Chester Zoo - It's Real!" and the website in 2010 with the blobs).