Ocean Park's new campaign puts reptiles in spotlight

Ocean Park Hong Kong has launched a social campaign for its new "Reptile territory" exhibition (爬行探索基地), featuring diverse reptile species in an experience that educates and excites visitors of all ages.

The launch comes amid a rising trend in exotic reptile keeping and a surge of public fascination with these creatures in pop culture and animation. The new exhibit reinforces Ocean Park's commitment to conservation and education, offering visitors immersive experiences grounded in nature and wildlife stewardship.

Developed in collaboration with creative agency Uth Creative Group, the campaign launches on 21 August and will run for approximately 1.5 months, wrapping up with a final sustaining social post at the end of September. It aims to transform public perceptions of reptiles through an approachable, playful and engaging storytelling framework, targeting families with children, young adults and reptile enthusiasts alike.

To strengthen connections with the public and make reptiles feel more friendly and accessible to families and young people, the campaign is themed "League of the Reptile Stars" (爬行明星大巡禮). Its key visual pairs real reptile photographs with cute, stylised Gashapon-style illustrations.

The campaign's key visual features five hero reptiles, each portrayed as a charismatic character with a playful nickname. They include the rhinoceros iguana as "The gentle t-rex" (柔情暴龍哥), the blue-tongued skink as "The innocent blue" (不毒舌大狀), the Chinese crocodile lizard as "Master freeze" (淡定僵太公), the panther chameleon as "The all-seeing eye-con" (360全知龍), and the sailfin lizard as "The aqua ninja" (水上飛帆哥).

To drive engagement across digital touchpoints, the launch features a dynamic social promotion series, five dedicated social media reels, and a broader content rollout across Ocean Park's official Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels, as well as its China-based platforms and on-site park activations. These reels integrate the exhibit’s underlying theme, "Mythbusters", by seamlessly blending fun, myth-busting trivia about each hero reptile with their unique traits. 

Additionally, the campaign is promoted through media publisher and third-party pages, "Reptile star cards" merchandise, a series of eight social media posts, in-park promotional materials, MTR pDOOH advertising, and shopping mall activations.

While reptiles often face a stigma of being scary or unapproachable, the campaign seeks to bridge this gap by blending educational facts with vibrant Gashapon-inspired character designs and short-form social content. The ultimate goal is to inspire curiosity and welcome visitors of all ages to discover the wonder and ecological importance of these creatures in a fun, immersive setting. 

Franklin Law, marketing director, Ocean Park Hong Kong, said: “Exotic reptiles are capturing public imagination like never before, and we can’t wait to show a whole new side to these fascinating creatures. 'Reptile territory' offers visitors a playful, immersive way to get up close, dispel common myths, and celebrate their vital role in our ecosystem.”

Desmond So, chief executive officer of Uth Creative Group, said, “Through the League of the Reptile Stars Campaign, we hope to make reptiles feel more approachable and engaging to audiences of all ages. By combining playful storytelling with educational content, we aim to inspire curiosity, deepen understanding and encourage greater appreciation for these fascinating creatures and their role in nature.” 

Don’t miss: Ocean Park turns HK into giant panda party zone

Ocean Park has been actively rolling out initiatives to showcase its animal attractions. Recently, it has collaborated with the Tourism Commission and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to celebrate the birthday of the panda twins, Jia Jia and De De, with a citywide immersive campaign.

Also known as "Pandastic panda birthday parade" (Pandastic 大熊貓生日巡遊), the summer-long party aims to turn the entire city into a joyful panda land. The spotlight shines on the Hong Kong-born giant panda twins as they turn two, joined by their August-born parents, Ying Ying and Le Le, alongside the June birthday stars, An An and Ke Ke. Daily commutes and weekend shopping excursions now feature the presence of Hong Kong's six giant pandas across various public spaces.

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