In an interview with Midland Times, AiAdvertising revealed their role in shaping the identity and experience of Zoo Midland, a new zoo being built from the ground up in Midland. Creative Director Libby Morris, Brand/Project Manager Alison Campion, and Environmental Designer Mark Anders shared how their team's involvement goes beyond traditional marketing.
While AiAdvertising is known for its marketing expertise, their work with Zoo Midland focuses on creating a lasting, immersive experience through innovative design, branding, and environmental strategies. As Morris put it, AiAdvertising’s role in Zoo Midland is “brand creation through graphic design, strategic marketing, and environmental design solutions.” The scope of their work encompasses a broad range of design elements that are integral to creating Zoo Midland’s lasting identity.
From the outset, AiAdvertising’s involvement has focused on developing a “memorable and holistic brand” for Zoo Midland. This mission guided their approach as they collaborated with the zoo's principal team and other contributors to ensure the zoo’s brand was built to last.
AiAdvertising aids in choosing design elements that aim to shape the zoo’s lasting image. This includes creating a cohesive experience that stretches from the zoo’s logo and website to the physical spaces within the zoo itself.
To create a brand identity and achieve a cohesive experience, the team has created a vision book — an essential guide for all parties involved in the project. This book includes reference imagery and material to ensure that every design decision, from architecture to landscape, aligns with the zoo’s brand.
The team’s guiding principles are rooted in key touchstone words like “Wonder,” “Connected,” “Discovery,” “Functional,” and more. These concepts influence every design choice, ensuring that each element, whether it’s a plant or a structural material, contributes to “creating a sense of place” within the zoo.
“We will have different areas of the zoo with their own kind of look and feel that matches the environment that we are looking to emulate,” Campion said. “When you go into Zoo Midland, you’re transported into this different realm in each section that you go to, but the whole time, it's Zoo Midland — it just has that ‘Zoo Midland feel.’ Creating that exact identity is what we are doing.”
One of AiAdvertising's core contributions is environmental design, an effort led by Mark Anders, Environmental Designer. The team works closely with the architectural team to ensure that Zoo Midland’s environment not only captivates visitors but is also sustainable.
"We work very closely with the WDM team and Dunaway, the landscape architects,” said Anders. "We're focused on the overarching vision, creating guardrails so that each team's contribution aligns to a cohesive whole. When it comes to landscape architecture, we're interested how the landscaping will grow and interact with people from both an educational and sustainability standpoint. It's especially important given Midland’s unique climate, so the team has to carefully select what will be best here."
Anders continues, saying, “The same principle applies to the architecture, as well. WDM has an impressive portfolio of zoos, and we add a bit of flair by bringing a fresh perspective beyond what’s typically seen in zoo design.”
AiAdvertising has also taken on educational outreach through social media, sharing posts that raise awareness about animals and inviting residents to sign up for email updates. This aligns with the zoo’s goal of educating the public about wildlife and conservation while also building anticipation for the zoo's eventual opening.
Although Zoo Midland is still a few years from opening, AiAdvertising has already started engaging the Midland community in creative ways. One standout initiative was a unique marketing campaign launched on July 29, featuring animal prints on numerous transit boxes throughout the city. The scavenger hunt not only sparked excitement for the future zoo but also concluded with a giveaway. The campaign supported AiAdvertising’s mission to build a connection between Zoo Midland and its future visitors.
For more information, visit Zoo Midland's website to sign up for email alerts, or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.