Business Details
27 Years
experience
Your Brand's Secret Weapon: Iconic Animated Characters
Zookeeper Industries is a creative agency specializing in transforming brands through iconic animated characters and strategic storytelling. Since 1999, we have partnered with Fortune 100 companies, entertainment giants, and sports teams to create unforgettable brand assets. Our approach combines brand strategy, character design, and animation to build living, breathing characters that endure beyond campaigns.With expertise in motion-first branding and proprietary systems like CharacterCode and SignalMap, we deliver rapid-response creative solutions for high-stakes projects. Our work has been recognized by NBC, Nike, and the Philadelphia Flyers, among others, proving that charactersnot just campaignsdrive lasting brand loyalty and revenue.
Services
Brand Character Design
Animated Campaigns
Mascot Creation
Motion-First Branding
IP Development
Broadcast Animation
Interactive Storytelling
Strategic Positioning
Voice System Design
Character Animation
Details
- Year established: 1999
Highlights and features
- We engineer brand characters that generate revenue for 25+ years.
- Our proprietary CharacterCode system ensures strategic, ownable IP development.
- We deliver rapid-response animation for high-pressure projects like NBC show opens.
- Our team includes award-winning strategists and animators with Fortune 100 experience.
- We create characters that outlive slogans and become cultural touchstones.
What people say
Phenomenal to work with
Impressive animations
Creative firepower
Exceptional attention to detail
Delivered under tight deadlines
Services
Brand Character Design
We engineer iconic brand characters that become enduring assets. Our process combines strategic positioning with artistic execution to create characters that embody brand values and resonate with audiences. These living assets drive engagement across platforms while maintaining consistent brand identity.
Motion-First Branding
Our approach integrates animation into core brand identity systems. From dynamic logos to motion guidelines, we create adaptable visual languages that maintain consistency across digital and physical touchpoints while enhancing brand recognition through movement.
Strategic Positioning
We develop comprehensive brand frameworks using proprietary tools like SignalMap and EchoType. Our strategic sprints uncover emotional drivers, competitive differentiators, and narrative opportunities that inform character development and ensure market relevance through data-driven insights.
Broadcast Animation
We produce high-impact animations for television including show opens, sports mascots, and network branding. Our work combines technical precision with creative storytelling to capture audience attention while meeting broadcast technical requirements and deadlines.
IP Development
We create scalable intellectual property systems that extend brand characters across merchandise, digital platforms, and experiential marketing. Our IP frameworks include style guides, motion bibles, and licensing guidelines to maintain consistency while maximizing revenue opportunities.
People
Dave Waite
Founder & Executive Creative Director
With 25+ years in character-driven branding, Dave has led award-winning projects for Nike, NBC, and the Philadelphia Flyers. He pioneered real-time animation workflows and developed Zookeeper Industries's proprietary strategy systems for character development.
Isaac Holk
Creative Director
Specializing in character design since 2007, Isaac bridges illustration and animation with adaptable styles from vector precision to painterly textures. He focuses on creating versatile characters that maintain consistency across multiple media platforms.
Steven
Lead Animator
A multidisciplinary creator with expertise in 2D motion, 3D animation, and Unreal Engine environments. Steven combines traditional animation principles with modern technology to deliver technically sophisticated yet emotionally engaging character performances.
Questions
What makes Zookeeper Industries's approach unique?
We combine brand strategy with character design to create living assets that outlast campaigns and generate compounding returns for brands.
Do you work with startups or only established brands?
We collaborate with both emerging brands and Fortune 100 companies to build character-driven marketing solutions tailored to their scale.
How long does a typical project take?
Basecamp strategy packages deliver in 2-3 weeks, while full character development takes 4-6 weeks depending on project complexity.
Can you create both 2D and 3D animation?
Our team specializes in both 2D motion graphics and cinematic 3D animation to match your brand's specific storytelling needs.
What industries do you serve?
We work across entertainment, sports, consumer goods, technology, and financial services creating character-driven solutions for diverse brand challenges.
