ROYAL OAK, Mich., June 9, 2009 – The Detroit Zoo’s “Worth Keeping” advertising campaign, created by Doner, won a Gold Effie at the June 3, 2009, Effie Awards Gala in New York.  The campaign won in the Non-Profit/Pro Bono/Public Service category.

Prior to the campaign, the Detroit Zoo faced a financial crisis and needed Detroit-area residents to support a ballot proposal to provide long-term funding for the Zoo.  The multi-media campaign leveraged the positive and deep emotions residents already had for the Zoo around the central theme, “Our Zoo is Worth Keeping”. 

“Doner’s brilliant campaign reinforced the unique place that the Detroit Zoo has in the community’s heart and the incredible experiences that the Zoo provides for families and children every day,” said Detroit Zoological Society Executive Director/CEO Ron Kagan.

Last August, voters in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties approved a 0.10 mill levy on all taxable property for a period of 10 years to provide partial funding for the Detroit Zoo.  Despite a struggling economy and high unemployment in all three counties, more residents cast votes on the Zoo proposal than for any single-vote issue, including the U.S. Senate race.

“As a business within Greater Detroit, we understood what a cultural institution like the Detroit Zoo brings to the community and felt that we had a responsibility to create and help spread the ‘Worth Keeping’ message,” said Alan Kalter, Doner chairman and chief executive officer.

The “Worth Keeping” campaign underwent two judging rounds in order to receive the Gold Effie.  Campaigns are scored on all elements of the entry, written case and creative execution to honor the advertising industry’s most effective work.  To view the winning campaign, visit: http://media.donerus.com.

Doner, headquartered in Southfield, Mich., is the largest independently owned advertising agency in the world, with approximately $2 billion in combined billings.  The agency has offices throughout North America as well as in London, and does business in more than 30 countries for clients including Mazda, Serta, ADT, Owens Corning and HGTV. 
 
The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo.  Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak.  The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October (open at 9 a.m. May 1 through Labor Day) – with extended hours until 8 p.m. Wednesdays during July and August – and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March.  Admission is $11 for adults 15 to 61, $9 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7 for children ages 2 to 14; children under 2 are free.  For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.  The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.  Admission is free.  For more information, call (313) 852-4056. 
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