Bokito Glasses for all Zoo visitors - guerilla The Netherlands

Bokito is now a world famous gorilla, after he escaped from his enclosure in the Rotterdam Zoo May18, and tore up the zoo while attacking a woman in particular and several other people.

From the Wikipedia:

The woman who was attacked had been a regular visitor to the great apes' enclosure, visiting an average of 4 times per week. She had a habit of touching the glass that separated her from the gorillas, while making eye contact with Bokito and smiling to him, a practice that is discouraged by primatologists, as apes are likely to interpret human smiling as a form of aggressive display. Zoo employees had previously warned her against doing this, but she continued, claiming a special bond with him: in an interview with De Telegraaf, she said "if I laugh at him, he laughs back"

Bokito was probably extremely annoyed with this woman in particular since he went after her when he escaped from his enclosure, and inflicted more than 100 bite wounds on her as well as several broken bones. The Health insurance company FBTO couldn't wait to get in on this action and distributed 2.000 "BokitoViewers" at the entrance to Rotterdam Zoo, simple glasses that avoid eye contact.

The Great escape of Gorilla Bokito compilation of clips.

Client: FBTO
Agency: DDB Amsterdam
Martin Cornelissen (Creative Director)
Chris Sant (Art Director)
Marco Sluijter (Art Director)
Dieuwer Bulthuis (Copywriter)
Jeroen de Korte (Copywriter)

Anonymous Adgrunt's picture
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Dabitch's picture

Not related, but I love that Dutchism "he broke them like Lucifers", that's "matches".

Andreas-Udd's picture

She was clearly no Dian Fossey.

malkie66's picture

Gorillas: 1 Stupid woman: Nil

Neo's picture

Gorillas don't get angry when you roll your eyes at them?

Allan1's picture

The glasses don't have eyes that roll, the eyes look off to one side (to the wearer's left it seems in these shots), so that you are not looking directly into the gorilla's eyes - i.e. you are averting your eyes. (Of course, you're not really - you just appear that way to the gorilla).

BTW, the guy with the cig is the only one that the ape wouldn't get pissed at - the others are all baring their teeth! (aka smiling).

As to the stupid woman, who said "if I laugh at him, he laughs back", she didn't realize that her laughing - making loud noises while baring your teeth - would been seen as a direct challenge to the ape, who would then need to respond in kind. [If we could understand gorilla-speak, he probably was saying something like: "who are you to challenge me, you stupid piece of meat? I will break you into many pieces - let's see you bare your fangs at me then!"]

AnonymousCoward's picture

LOL. They couldn't just have everyone wear sunglasses??

AnonymousCoward's picture

Do any of the glasses come without white skin and blue eyes? What about my black features? Will I not be allowed into this Aryan zoo?

Dabitch's picture

Bezoekt u de dierentuin in Rotterdam vaak? Ik weet zeker dat ze een speciale paar dan voor jou.

joking aside, I have no idea if the glasses were made in different sizes (kids often visit the zoo) and colors, as the text above is the only info I got. I do find it interesting though that this three year old post has garnered several comments this week, and the majority of these bringing up skin color in humans. I deleted the more offensive racist ones posted earlier.

AnonymousWuss123's picture

Maybe you already know, but I think the reason for this is:

Dabitch's picture

Aha, well that explains the sudden rush to the post, thanks. (I guess the racist comments are a side-effect. That says a lot about their readership.)

Ordorous Man's picture

I like how the article doesn't say whether or not she was telling stupid jokes and generally wouldn't shut up for the entire time that she was there, smiling and putting her face up against the glass.