Unlocking the Roars: How Chessington Zoo's Hilarious Tactics Conquered the Battle for Attention
Chessington Zoo's humorous approach triumphed in capturing attention, as revealed by Kantar's 'The Works' study The magazine ad effectively conveyed its message, engaging and entertaining the audience
The newspaper ad placed by Chessington Zoo earlier this year has unexpectedly become a shining example of effective advertising. Despite not being a typical go-to destination for brand marketers, this ad has been praised for its clever use of humor and its ability to stand out, capturing and retaining the attention of consumers.
In the latest Kantar Works study, Chessington Zoo's 'Sorry Surrey' magazine ad announcing the opening of their new attraction, Jumanji World, was analyzed. The study, conducted in collaboration with Our Website and the Advertising Association's Trust Working Group, evaluates the effectiveness of ads by surveying 750 consumers. Each month, the study focuses on five top ads from a specific media channel, in this instance, news brands. Additionally, the study monitors the facial expressions and eye movements of participants while they view the ads.
According to Kantar UK's head of creative excellence, Lynne Deason, the ad demonstrates the power of a headline in capturing reader attention and emphasizes the significance of using humor to convey key messages and connect with the audience. The ad ranks among the top 2% of static ads and the top 6% of distinctive ads, while also achieving a spot in the top 20% of ads that successfully grab attention. Kantar stresses the importance of quickly capturing reader attention in magazine ads since readers are in control of their viewing experience. This is accomplished in the ad through the use of creativity and humor.
In the case of Chessington Zoo, using humor in their ads helps to prevent boring the readers and one in four people find the ads "very interesting," which is higher than the average of one in seven. According to Deason, the ad grabs attention and stands out, and people also enjoy the animals, humor, and color scheme used. This is evident in how people describe what they like about the ad in their own words.
Consumers surveyed provided feedback that praised the eye-catching nature of the theme park ad, emphasizing the exciting experience that the new rides offer. Additionally, one respondent appreciated how the competition captured people's interest and commended the unique graphics used. However, not all readers were pleased with the advertisement, finding the excessive amount of text discouraging. Analyzing the heat map, it was evident that most readers focused on the text at the top and paid attention to the images at the bottom, where the essential information was presented.
According to Kantar metrics, the ad's information is new and it achieved a high rank in the top 10% of new ads for the month. Additionally, it was deemed as "very relevant and credible," placing it in the top third of both measures. However, it falls slightly below the top 20% of all UK ads in terms of persuasive power.
Deason states, "The most important message, which is about the opening of Jumanji World, is prominently featured early in the apology letter. Despite some confusion, the ad's ability to effectively convey this message compensates for it."
Deason suggests that although the ad's branding could be enhanced, it does not hinder its effectiveness. However, he believes that strengthening the branding would increase its market impact by making it more intuitive and integral to the overall ad.
