Creative and Media Buying Agency of Record Services

The vendor required to provide creative marketing and media buying agency to provide advertising and promotional support and media buying recommendations and execution to the strategic communications department for scalable campaigns year-round as required.
- Creative and media buying agency supporting the creative design support and production, the successful proponent will be expected to provide support to the internal strategic communications team in year-round campaigns as required to promote possible new exhibits, animal births and activities, events, and more.
- Each campaign will differ substantially, sometimes requiring only a creative concept, and then also able to deliver everything from creative design to full production of tv, radio, digital and out-of-home assets to support the campaign.
- The principal creative and concept provider and media buying agent for the zoo for marketing and advertising to a variety of target audiences including families in mainstream, cultural markets and leisure travel.
- Provide the following advertising services that include but are not limited to:
•    Strategically develop and produce integrated advertising plan with all assets to achieve the zoo’s marketing and communication objectives within all identified markets 
•    Planning and project management for marketing campaigns to promote agency events, stories and activities. 
•    Campaigns may include but are not limited to animal births or new animals, new features or exhibits, opening of new areas. 
•    Leading the development and implementation of mar-comm plans in collaboration with the zoo’s strategic communications team. 
•    Building and executing campaigns in collaboration with the zoo strategic communications team. 
•    Would mostly be focused on social media, digital, with possibly some print and radio, but opportunity for additional media as needed. 
•    Recommendations and then execution of paid advertising to build engagement and drive zoo attendance and then monitoring the engagement and making recommendations to adjust the campaign if needed. 
•    Managing budgets attributed to marketing campaigns.
•    Working with internal design zoo teams to share and support internal production of required assets.
•    The successful proponent will be asked to provide regular status reports on the marketing campaigns, including results throughout the length of the contract.
•    Leading the campaign summaries and wrap up reports with zoo teams as required to highlight results, establish benchmarks, outline successes, identify opportunities for growth and other recommendations. 
•    Assist in obtaining no cost, lowest cost and added value for any and all production expenses; 
•    Pre-press production of all advertising as deemed necessary by zoo; 
•    Attend and participate in meetings, presentations to zoo management, zoo committees and board meetings as required.
- Budget:
•    Creative and Production Services: $150-250k
•    Media Buying (includes agency fees): $300-400k

- Contract Period/Term: 2 years
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: January 30, 2026