CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO CASE STUDY
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Fit for the Fauna
The nation’s only mountain zoo, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to more than 800 animals, including some 30 endangered species and the country’s largest giraffe herd. Focused on giving every kid, of any age, the experience of a lifetime with every visit, the zoo, which is located in Colorado Springs, Colo., attracts more than 500,000 visitors a year.
Overview
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo came to Malenke | Barnhart for a new website that would help people fall in love with animals and nature—and take action to protect them by supporting the zoo. The new site needed to reflect this animal and conservation focus, and greatly improve the now-cumbersome online experience.
Challenge
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo challenged us to redesign its site to:
- Capture the essence of its one-of-a-kind mountain setting online.
- Simplify the navigation and architecture to help visitors find what they’re looking for quickly and easily.
- Rewrite the existing content to convey the zoo’s personality consistently throughout the site.
- Entice people to visit, join and support the zoo.
- Provide essential information to decrease calls.
- Improve the overall website user experience.
Solution
Malenke | Barnhart created a new site that features:
- Animal graphics and a woodland feel for an enticing brand identity.
- Streamlined architecture that reorganizes the comprehensive content, making it easier to browse.
- Appealing copy that conveys the Zoo’s fun, caring character.
- Prominent home page callouts and guest information to answer visitors’ common questions on-the-spot.
- Comprehensive sections for supporting and getting involved with the zoo to inspire and inform potential donors.
Upshot
Results and recognition poured in:
- Satisfied client: “Fantastic, amazing, awesome—A huge improvement,” said the Director of Development and Financial Growth, about their new site.
- Silver 2008 W3 Award from the International Academy of Visual Arts.
- Silver 2008 Davey Award.
- Merit Award at the 2008 Art Directors Club of Denver Annual Show.