Dieren Academie

Museum Volkenkunde

Background The Museum of Ethnology in Leiden has asked KAPOOOW to develop a campaign around 'DierenAcademie' (Animal Academy), the new exhibition in which families learn from animal teachers about the human-animal relationship. “Man has placed himself too much above and outside nature with all the consequences for nature, including man. In the Animal Academy, families learn to look at the world, people and yourself from different perspectives. Animals are the teachers at this World Academy. The visitors are the students. The animals challenge visitors in a sensory activity that makes you experience how immensely greater the diversity of life is than your own human world.”

Idea
To attract families to the DierenAcademie, the Museum of Ethnology is launching a campaign in which animal teachers are appearing everywhere. In life-size prints with animal dolls, a short stop-motion video for social media, an Instafilter for your (pet) animal, but also in the real world via a distinctive activation. In the activation, animal statues in the center of Leiden were transformed into teachers for a day. On Instagram, families can have fun by turning their own pet or animals on the street into animal teachers, complete with classroom! All campaign expressions are designed using images of “real” miniature animals and objects. This creates a striking and distinctive image, both on the street and on social media.

Strategy
By bringing universally known and realistic elements from the 'Animal Academy' campaign image to life in the animation and poster, such as 'what it feels like to be in the classroom and what happens around you', both parents and to reach children. The entire spectrum of the target group is familiar with the elements that the viewer sees. The most important part of communication is of course the animal teacher. By placing these in a school environment, the entire target group pays more attention to the expression because this is something they are not familiar with. However, they can imagine it well because of anthropomorphic animals in (youth) literature, pop culture and their upbringing. This is a worldwide phenomenon because all parents, across all cultures, have portrayed anthropomorphic animals while playing with their children.