Posted on 06/16/2003 1:14:19 PM PDT by rattrap
Noah's Ark takes ride on biblical side with ad Attraction aims to make park weather-proof By DORIS HAJEWSKI dhajewski@journalsentinel.com Last Updated: June 15, 2003 Noah's Ark is going biblical with a new ad to promote the Wisconsin Dells water park this season.
Noah's Ark Ad
A coffee shop in heaven is the setting for the new 30-second TV ad, which marks a departure from the tried-and-true amusement park format that typically shows kids enjoying the rides.
The new ad, running now on broadcast and cable stations around the state, has Noah and Moses competing for the attention of a pretty angel.
In the ad, Moses tells the angel that he once parted the Red Sea and brags that his staff can turn into a snake. The angel, however, seems more impressed when Noah comes in and announces that he has a ride named after him.
Finally, in frustration, Moses gets up from his stool at the counter, holds a couple of menus aloft, and proclaims: "Behold, the Ten Commandments."
The spot wraps up with a quick promo for the newest ride at the park, "Noah's Great Adventure," a $2.5 million project that is the park's first big non-water attraction. The ride is enclosed in a building and gives riders the feel of descending into the Earth and experiencing the biblical story of Noah's Ark.
The new ad is aimed at moms, age 25 to 40, who are the decision-makers for a trip to the water park, according to Mark Bachowski, the account supervisor for Noah's Ark at the Boelter & Lincoln advertising agency in Milwaukee.
The new ad had to use a different approach to highlight "Noah's Great Adventure." Because it is not an outdoor thrill ride, it wouldn't photograph well in a TV ad, said Joe Ban, the writer/producer for the ad.
This year marks the 25th anniversary for Noah's Ark, billed as the America's largest water park, based on its 70-acre size. The park has been owned by the Gantz family of Dubuque, Iowa, since 1994.
Since the acquisition, the Gantz brothers have faced stepped-up competition from several mega-resorts with indoor water parks.
Those facilities have appealed to families with very young children. Noah's Ark responded by adding attractions that appeal to older kids who want something bigger, faster or more interesting than can fit into an indoor setting, Bachowski said.
This year's new "Incredible Adventure" attraction is a dry ride, one of several alternatives to getting wet on cool days. The park also offers wet suits to help guests keep warm during weeks like the ones Wisconsin has experienced for the past month.
"Business hasn't been too good," co-owner Tim Gantz said of the season so far. The slow economy also has hurt sales a little, but in general, the Dells area is holding its own, he said.
Noah's Ark is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Admission to the park is $28 per person, with 20% discounts for children up to 47 inches tall. This year the park also is offering a $16 pass for people who want to take advantage only of the dry attractions.
Will the people outraged by commercial uses of Noah and Moses be standing first inline to complain about the abuse of a major religious icon? Or will they be standing firm on the notion that the First Amendment grants advertisers to skewer any cow they wish?
Maybe I'm missing something but, I don't see any problem. I can see God Himself laughing at this when He foreknew it in eternity past. Any overly-pious legalists who'd be offended would probably enjoy the Pharisees' company. I mean, it's not exactly The Last Temptation of Christ.
Sounds like a fun ride. I hope they air the ad here, only a couple hours away in East-Central Iowa.
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