If you’ve attended a trade show in the souvenir gift and resort retail industry, you’ve likely encountered the three letters ZAG. These letters have a powerful impact for a growing community of zoo, aquarium and garden retail buyers as well as industry sponsors. Membership in the group numbers more than 300 buyers, and about 200 industry sponsors support the group.
“It is a great way to grow in the industry and be able to network with industry professionals,” says longtime board member Tommy Brown. “Plus, you make some long-lasting friendships along the way.”
Brown is the retail manager and buyer of conservation goods for the Saint Louis Zoo. He has consulted for museums, attractions, theme parks and zoos throughout the world. He currently serves on the ZAG board and other advisory boards and has many published works throughout the industry.
As a professional speaker, he has delivered many talks on retail, merchandising, conservation, diversity and sustainability. He shares more in the following Q&A.
Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties (SGN): What is ZAG and how has it evolved?
Tommy Brown (TB): ZAG formed in 2005 by a group of buyers from zoos and aquariums that wanted to share ideas and trends in the industry, and formally meet in Tennessee once a year during the Smoky Mountain Gift Show and International Gift Exposition in the Smokies (IGES).
This format worked for years as this group’s focus, but times and the industry were changing, as people were shifting their mindset to a “greener” way of buying and living.
In 2017, ZAG adopted gardens as part of its group, and switched the focus from trends and ideas to conservation and sustainability. During this time, ZAG exploded onto the forefront of being an industry leader for the independent institutional gift store buyer.
ZAG is a great source for sourcing products, trends and ideas, and we will constantly improve the organization to provide these resources and more.
SGN: What has played an important role in the success of ZAG?
TB: ZAG has collaborated with The Smoky Mountain Gift Show and IGES for years to provide tours on sustainability, educational seminars, classes and ZAG mixers. The shows have always been great partners with ZAG, and together we have had great impact within the retail industry.
Partnerships are so important to ZAG as shows and marketplaces help get messages out to our large membership base and support our retail educational work. Las Vegas Market Center hosted our very first ZAG tour on conservation over 10 years ago now, and now you can see ZAG tours and representation at many different shows throughout the nation, such as the Smoky Mountain Gift Show, IGES and the Coastal Connections Conference.
“It is a great way to grow in the industry and be able to network with industry professionals. Plus, you make some long lasting friendships along the way.” — Tommy Brown
Not only have the shows played an important role in ZAG’s success, it takes a dedicated board of volunteers and ZAG sponsors. Our volunteer board consists of the following members: David Whitaker (North Carolina Zoo Society); Tommy Brown (Saint Louis Zoo); Judy Rancour (Saint Louis Zoo); Rosemary Domas (Wildlife Conservation Society); Elie Johnson (ZooTampa at Lowry Park), Samantha Halligan (Lake Superior Zoological Society); Shelia Wewers (Como Park Zoo & Conservatory); April Terranella (Kansas City Zoo); and Shelby Salestrom (Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens).
This team creates quarterly newsletters, plans industry events, provides retail educational outreach, hosts the ZAG website and much more. Even with a great board of volunteers, ZAG could not do all it does without its sponsor base that financially supports all of ZAG’s efforts.
To learn more about becoming a member or a sponsor, visit
www.zaggift.com.
