Odense Zoo Rebrand – Making Wildlife Connections Personal

Agency:Cosmographic
Client:Odense Zoo
Concept & Direction:Peter Dam & Kim Nielsen

Editing, Compositing, MasteringKim Nielsen
Contributions:Design(photography/styling), Concept Development, Branding, Motion Design, Editing, Mastering etc.

When the agency I was with(now closed) got the chance to rebrand Odense Zoo—a beloved Danish zoo home to over 2,000 animals—Peter and I took on the visuals of the project. Our mission was to deepen the connection between visitors and animals, moving beyond just observing creatures behind enclosures.

Our Approach: Stripping Away the Unnecessary

We wondered, “How can we make people truly feel the essence of these animals?” The solution was simplicity. We stripped away unnecessary visuals—the clutter and distracting backgrounds—to place the animals front and center. Using macro photography, we captured stunning close-ups that highlighted every detail: the texture of fur, the patterns on skin, the depth in eyes. This minimalist approach allowed for an intimate, undistracted connection between the viewer and the animal.

Transforming the Zoo Experience

Odense Zoo embraced our concept wholeheartedly. It was amazing to see the zoo transform with this dramatic, animal-centric branding. The entire environment shifted to focus solely on the animals, and visitors responded enthusiastically, feeling a deeper appreciation for the wildlife. Though the style didn’t last forever—the zoo eventually returned to a more traditional, family-friendly look—the font choice we introduced remains. Design changes happen, but the impact during that time was truly special.

And on a personal note, getting to hand-feed a giraffe during the video shoot was an unforgettable highlight!