Knowing What to Name-Drop

How do zoos and other animal attractions select the right products to name-drop?

At the Buffalo Zoo in Buffalo, N.Y., Nicole Wurstner, director of retail operations, said, “Hard goods are usually set up for doing name-drop and custom items, and so that is a first choice, something where you can use a screen to create the look you want. Plush is more difficult to do, because it involves something like adding additional things to the item. In general, popular hard goods are what we look for because it’s easiest to set up for custom pieces.”

Dave Bannister, gift store manager at Safari West in Santa Rosa, Calif. selects his namedropped items through specialty suppliers and at trade shows. “We have a number of suppliers who are specialists in name-dropped items. We give them our logo and type style, and they take it from there with items we have found.” Selecting items is also based on the popularity of the item type in the store.

At the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas, Assistant Gift Store Manager Leslie Reyes also noted that customer interest in a product or a product’s popularity, lead to more name-dropped items in that category. “Drinkware and mugs are chosen, as well as key chains and magnets because they’re the kinds of things that people request the most.”

And at the Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin, Tex., Gift Shop Sales Associate Kaylin Vansau said, “We name-drop the items people most want to see with our name and logo. We base that on what they ask for – particularly clothing items are something they want to see name-dropped.” ❖