COM 150: Of bears and brands in Berlin

Here's a different marketing ploy from Germany, where a three-month-old polar bear cub at the Berlin Zoo has captured the hearts of children, adults, the media ... and practically everyone who wants to make a Euro. Reports the magazine Der Spiegel (which means "the mirror" in English):

Hundreds of journalists from all over the world came to see the little bear make his first appearance in public last Friday, and 58 percent of Germans are following his progress as he grows up, according to a new survey conducted for the German television station N24. It's safe to say he's one of the most famous living Germans.

And, like many superstars, he is rapidly becoming a brand. But, unlike say J-Lo or Madonna, the three-month-old bear is not in control of how his image is being marketed. Is the tiny star being exploited for commercial and political gain?

Der Spiegel's answer, dated March 28, you bet he is. But first the backstory.

Knut was born Dec. 5 to an East German circus bear who had been rescued by the zoo. But she showed no interest in him (not unusual with animals in captivity). So he was bottle-fed through infancy by zookeeper Thomas Dörflein, and in recent weeks he's been shown to the public -- and the media. Der Spiegel reported March 23:

Berlin's favorite polar baby has finally made his first appearance for the public. Cute Knut wooed an excited audience of children, zoo visitors and journalists at Berlin Zoo Friday. Unfazed by the attention, he explored the outdoor enclosure and displayed his affection for his carer.

At ten in the morning, anticipation was running high. "Knut come out! Knut come out!", a group of children chanted impatiently.

Hundreds of Knut fans had made their way to Berlin Zoo on Friday morning to witness the polar bear cub's first public appearance. Children, journalists and normal zoo visitors alike were gripped by excitement as Berlin's favourite bear finally emerged in the outdoor bear enclosure.

The little fluffball was escorted by his carer Thomas Dörflein, zoo director Bernhard Blaszkiewitz and Germany's Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel.

Gabriel called Knut a political symbol in the climate change debate: "Hardly any animal symbolizes the consequences of climate change as clearly as the polar bear," he said. "No ice, no polar bear."

Gabriel, who has recently became Knut's "godfather," said that the little cub would be the mascot of the United Nations' Convention on Biological Diversity conference in Bonn in May 2008.

Notice how the bear cub will be used to symbolize the UN biodiversity conference -- in much the same way the same way as the "swoosh" logo on Nike shoes, a sports mascot or the golden arches on a McDonald's fast food restaurant. That's called branding.

All kinds of businesses are getting in on the act, and Berlin Zoo stands to make a bundle off the bear cub. Der Spiegel in its March 28 story, headlined "Fur trade -- Cashing in on Cute Knut" (the name is pronounced like kun-oot), wonders if it's going too far:

Few would bear a grudge with Berlin Zoo making a bit of money out of the cub. The zoo is expecting record visitor numbers this year with 300,000 extra animal-lovers expected due to the new-found publicity -- 30,000 people came to see Knut this weekend alone.. Fair return, perhaps, for raising the polar bear by hand after his mother rejected him.

But what about Greenpeace using Knut as a poster cub for its campaign on global warming? The environmental lobby group demonstrated outside the Ministry of Economics and Technology in Berlin Tuesday, protesting about plans to build new power stations powered by brown coal, which produce high levels of CO2. Their banner, which referred to the plight of polar bears whose habitat is endangered by global warming, featured an image of a pensive-looking Knut standing in a pool of water, next to the slogan "Coal Kills Knut's Chums."

The German government has likewise begun using Knut for political gain. Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel accompanied Knut for a photo shoot on the bear's public debut, and has said he will use Knut as a mascot for a United Nations conference on bio-diversity to be held in Bonn in May 2008 -- even though Knut will not be quite so small and cuddly by then.

My opinion, for whatever its worth, is the zoo has a right to use Knut's image in any way that helps the zoo -- especially its educational mission -- but the zoo also has the obligation to register the brand and thus to control how it's used by others.

Here's how our textbook, Media Now by Joseph Straubhaar and Robert LaRose, defines brand identification: "... a product's name, design and symbols, which distinguish it from other products." So whatever else he may represent, "Cute Knut" is becoming part of the zoo's identity. And, according to Der Spiegel, he's making them some money:

Ironically, the Berlin Zoo itself was tardy to cash in on Knut's potential. The 2,400 Knut soft toys which went on sale Friday were already sold out by Monday, and the first Knut postcards didn't go on sale until Tuesday. The souvenirs weren't ready in time because the zoo was expecting Knut to go on show a week later than he did, the zoo's sales director Gerald Uhlich admitted Wednesday to the newspaper Berliner Zeitung.

Where all of this can lead is suggested by this story with a headline that tells it all -- "Companies cash in on Knut the German polar bear."-- It moved March 28 on the Reuters wire service. Here's the lede and the nut graf:

BERLIN, March 28 (Reuters Life!) - The euphoria around Berlin Zoos celebrity polar bear cub showed no sign of abating on Wednesday as a music label released a single called "Knut is Cute."

Pool Music has already sold 3,000 CDs priced at just under 6 euros ($8.01) each but faces tough competition from up to twelve competitors who have been circulating bear-related songs on the Internet.

"I know the number of other songs is growing but we were first," said a spokesman for Pool Music who said demand had far outstripped expectations and that the label had received orders from as far afield as the United States and Japan.

"Our song is different because it is sung by the polar bear himself, whereas the other songs are only about him," said the spokesman who declined to divulge the identity of the artist referred to as "Polar Bear."

The company has paid an agreed sum to Berlin Zoo, which registered the celebrity cub as an official brand this week.

The Reuters story also lays out some of the ethical considerations:

But the zoo says Knut should not be seen in financial terms.

"The zoo isn't a commercial enterprise but a cultural and scientific institution," said a Berlin Zoo spokesman.

"What is most important is the correct raising of the bear" a zoo spokesman said, adding it had ruled out selling Knut despite a deluge of offers from across the globe.

However, companies are keen to cash in on the cuddly character who has such a wide appeal.

On the one hand, the bear is a living creature. Is it right to exploit it for profit? On the other hand, the zoo has a message to get out to the public. Plenty of messages, in fact. About genetics and breeding endangered species, to name one thing. About global warming, to name another. So why not make a bundle on licensing Knut the polar bear's name and image, if it helps the zoo get those messages out.

In the meantime, Knut the bear is taking it all in stride. When he made his debut, Der Spiegel reported:

Despite the hordes of visitors, photographers, and camera crews, Knut the polar bear showed some real cool. Unfazed by all the attention, he leisurely explored the outside enclosure, running across the grass area, climbing up the rocks and dipping his paws into the water.

He also openly showed his affection for Thomas Dörflein. Just like a son with his father, Knut followed his carer around everywhere he went. Every now and then the two smooched or cuddled up together. Knut, who was born in December, has been raised on a bottle by Dörflein after the cub was rejected by his mother Tosca.

The close relationship between the two had been subject to criticism from animal rights activists, who claimed that Knut was being too "human," but that negative attitude seemed to have evaporated on Friday morning.

"Knut is incredibly cute," nine-year-old Christopher told SPIEGEL ONLINE, "I particularly like his white fur because it's so fluffy." His friend Selen, also aged nine, agreed and added: "But his face is really cute, too!" Selen was so taken by Knut that she even bought one of the Knut teddy bears which were on sale at the zoo.

Maybe the bear and the kids have the right attitude. But don't fail to notice one of them bought a teddy bear.