Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, 2023

Grand opening + ribbon Cutting of the ARCC

Media relations

Riverbanks Zoo & Garden hired Flock and Rally to plan and implement a turnkey media relations campaign to promote the grand opening of the Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center (ARCC). The multi-million-dollar renovations transformed the heart of Riverbanks into a state-of-the-art animal care facility—providing guests with an engaging experience that places Riverbanks’ critical role in wildlife conservation at the front and center.

The campaign strongly emphasized media relations to secure earned media coverage of the ARCC grand opening and Riverbanks’ commitment to education and conservation. Flock and Rally created messaging, campaign assets, pitched stories and managed behind-the-scenes media tours. Additionally, a high-profile ribbon cutting took place the day of opening, which included Governor McMaster, The Boyd Foundation, dignitaries, community leaders and the media. Flock and Rally’s comprehensive approach far exceeded campaign objectives and generated widespread awareness for the ARCC opening, including 122 press mentions/clips, of which 22 were advance media interviews, with an estimated 1.7 million viewers.

Flock and Rally created messaging and crafted compelling pitches to engage media outlets. We organized behind-the-scenes tours to provide exclusive access and foster media interest. Our team distributed press releases to local and primary drive markets, targeting regional and national media. To celebrate the Boyd Foundation's contribution and engage key stakeholders, we orchestrated a grand opening ribbon cutting event, offering visual content for the media and a platform for networking and learning about the ARCC. Flock and Rally demonstrated strategic thinking by seamlessly aligning the business needs, target audiences, and objectives with their strategic and creative approach, tactics, vehicles, media and communication channels. The audience analysis played a crucial role in developing key messages tailored to each identified group, ensuring effective communication and engagement.