Coupon Promotions with the Zoo

What the Zoo can offer:

Here are three coupon options:

• $1 off adult admission or $.50 off for seniors and children
• 20% off ($1.10 off for adults, $.80 off for seniors, $.70 off for children under 12)
• A higher discount can be offered if your company reimburses the Zoo for the discount offered minus 20%. You are only billed for coupons that are actually used. For instance, if you want to give away free children's tickets ($3.50 value) you will be billed $2.80 per ticket used. You will be billed at the end of the promotion, or if the promotion lasts more than a month, you will be billed once a month.

What we are looking for in a promotional partner:

A media buy: Generally, we look for a commitment of at least at $10,000 buy. This can, and often does, include the value of donated air time by TV or radio stations. For tagged ads, we count only the value of the tag, not the entire ad.

Outlets for distribution: We look for a company whose outlets can potentially distribute a minimum of 25,000 coupons.

POS support: Successful promotions are supported by visibility in retail outlets. This may include posters, tray liners, counter cards, table cards, etc.

Donation to the Zoo: Many promotions include a donation for a specific Zoo project or program. A minimum amount of $2,000 is required.

Coupon Policies:

1. Ad buy must be approved by the Zoo.
2. Creative and layouts for ads and coupons must be approved by the Zoo in concept phase AND final form. The amount discounted for coupons that have not been approved by the Zoo will be billed to the company. Because of past problems, we are very strict about this.
3. For cash control reasons, we need to have an actual coupon, preferably the size of a dollar bill, so it can go through our counting machines. We can't just offer a discount to everyone who "wears a red shirt" or mentions your company name. We will discuss offering a discount to customers who bring a label or receipt, provided you are very clear about what they need to bring ("proof of purchase" is too vague, for instance) and provided people won't be bringing us dirty cans or large items that are difficult for our gate people to take and store. (See attached instructions from our cash room supervisor).

Other promotions with the Zoo:

Coupons aren't the only way you can help your business and the Zoo at the same time. Here are some other ideas:

Sponsorships: Make a financial contribution to underwrite a Zoo program or event and receive name/logo visibility.

• Sampling: For a fee, we'll let you give out samples to our customers. Or, we'll give them out for you as prizes or refreshments at events.
• Contests: Let customers enter a drawing for a VIP tour, a year's pass or other Zoo prizes.
• "Official Product": Your product can be designated as the official Zoo product.

Why work with the Zoo?

• We draw more than a million people a year.
• We're professional and experienced with promotions
• We're flexible-willing to customize and try new ideas
• Everybody likes us-we're non-controversial
• Everybody visits us-94% of the metro area population has been to the Zoo and 53% come at least once a year
• Your dollars and promotion help make the Zoo (and the community) a better place!

What to do if you're interested:

Send or e-mail, fax or mail a brief proposal, in writing, to Jane Hartline, Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Road, Portland, OR 97221, e-mail , fax no. 503-220-5754. State details of your proposed promotion, including dates, proposed discount, proposed media buy, etc.

Note: We get many requests from businesses who would like to do a coupon promotion with the Zoo, and we can't do them all. Among the proposals we receive, we generally choose no more than two for the spring and two for the fall.

Because parking is a limiting factor during the summer, we generally do not want to use coupons during June, July and August.

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