During September, the Aquarium ran a joint marketing, education and awareness campaign known as the “People’s Campaign”. The aim of the campaign was to raise awareness about the Aquarium in general, as well as our education and conservation efforts in Khayelitsha.
The campaign included articles in City Vision newspaper, bi-weekly slots on Radio Zibonele and an amazing day spent doing promotion at the Khayelitsha Mall.
The campaign came into being when Khonzani Lembeni, an Aquarium teacher, expressed the desire to “take the Aquarium” to his community. From there it grew into a hugely successful campaign.
Staff from the curatorial, education, finance and visitor services departments, as well as from Shoreline Café, featured in articles in City Vision. Khonzani practised his radio voice and interviewed staff and gave informative talks on the Aquarium during his bi-weekly slot on Radio Zibonele.
The support and interest from the community proved incredible, and people from all over phoned in to chat about their experiences at the Aquarium, or to ask questions about our education programmes, etc.
On 1 October a team of 15 from the Aquarium set up a promotional area at the Khayelitsha Mall, with Radio Zibonele joining in the fun with an outside broadcast crew. The Aquarium’s outreach van provided fascinating discoveries for young and old, and the little ones had their faces painted. The Aquarium’s mascots made celebrity appearances and handed out discount vouchers.
Fun was had by all, and through new discoveries, information sharing, dancing and camaraderie, the Aquarium’s message of nurturing a love of our oceans and our marine environment reached this great community.
