Shirokuma?
Haha! No...
Although I have to disagree strongly with all the people who, for very well articulated reasons, are uncomfortable with this.
As I have said before, I'm really fed up of the marketing department being bashed on here. They do a great job. Events like this, and the zoo lates events which take place through the summer, place the zoo as part of the capital's cultural life.
It wasn't a wet t-shirt competition, I don't there was anything tacky about it. This is London, not some hicksville town in the Bible Belt. It's the 21st century and atitudes are changing, I think for the better.
Events like the 5K Color Run are enormously popular and there is so much going on in the capital. London Zoo must engage with the population organising interesting and original events. You need to have a sense of tongue in cheek humour to attract people sometimes, especially young people, many with expendable incomes who could be engaged for life if they are attracted at an age when they have few commitments. They will go on to have families and hopefully have a relationship with the zoo.
Of course the coverage would be sexist but that is the reality of the rather grubby media in this country.
It's also important to note that there is a 'regular' sponsored 10K through the zoo and park on 15th September which is sold out.
And to address IanRRobinson's point about other institutions, this is exactly the kind of event I can see Kew doing.
