“We show them” — a meme turned into a campaign. A 360° project for Moskvarium’s 10th anniversary: an octopus takes over the building, an album comes alive in AR, and seals appear across Moscow City.
A meme became a campaign. Fish? We show them.
“Fish? We Show Them” is not an invented slogan. It is a cultural quote many Muscovites instantly recognise. For Moskvarium’s 10th anniversary, it became the foundation of a full-scale 360° campaign: from 65 city media surfaces to a giant octopus on the roof.
Each animal gets its own line and its own place in the city. Seals appear on Moscow City. The octopus lands on Oktyabr. The turtle takes over Dynamo. The anniversary album comes alive through augmented reality. The main news hook is a CG film in which an octopus literally takes over the Moskvarium building.
What do fish think about?
Ask them yourself.
“Know the fish?” was an internet meme with millions of views. The task was not to exploit the quote, but to pick up its energy. “We show them” flips the logic: Moskvarium does not wait for visitors — it goes out into the city. Each animal becomes a character with its own line: seal, octopus, turtle, chameleon.
65 media surfaces in the city’s highest-traffic locations — city formats, bus stops, billboards. In the metro: 1,000+ surfaces per month and 12,500 screens. 81 additional surfaces from Moscow’s Department of Media and Advertising. Close-up portraits of the animals create surprise and affection — making people want to meet them in person. Posters with witty copy expand the main key visual.
A 30-metre inflatable octopus on the roof of Moskvarium became the campaign’s main news hook. It was supported by a CG film: the octopus literally takes over the building, its tentacles crawling across the facade. The figure becomes an attraction point at VDNH, while the video turns into viral content across Moscow Telegram channels.
Outside: a kite festival turns the sky into an underwater kingdom, with 25 art installations and the UFO aerial theatre presenting the “Air Oceanarium” programme. Inside: workshops, a glitter bar, a bubble show, quizzes, a “Fish? We Show Them” photo zone, and a 15% discount for guests dressed as aquatic animals.
Limited-edition Troika transit cards with an AR extension — a collaboration with Moscow’s Department of Transport. Production details included spot UV varnish, foil stamping and textured lamination inspired by the animals themselves. Point the camera at the card and the character comes alive. Charity merchandise: artists from the inclusive workshop “Simple Things” created a series for More Toys.
10 animals — 10 stories — 10 years. Each spread features a character with its scientific name and biography. Production: textured lamination inspired by skin and shells, gilded edges, spot UV varnish — textures drawn from nature itself. Three spreads are animated, turning the album into an AR object: the pages come alive through the camera.
The central idea of “Fish? We Show Them”: the ocean breaks into the city. Positioning, tone of voice and communication logic — from the campaign line to the mechanics. A character-led approach: each animal gets its own voice and its own space in the city.
Key visual: close-up portraits of the animals used as an emotional tool. A poster series with witty copy. DOOH adaptations. A visual logic built around characters.
Designing the full ecosystem: outdoor advertising, the CG film with the rooftop octopus, a kite festival, a Troika + AR collaboration, merchandise and partnerships. Reach assessment, activity grid and location planning.
Concept and editorial logic: 10 animals — 10 stories. Production decisions: gilded edges, spot UV varnish, textured lamination — each surface inspired by the character’s nature. 3 animated spreads + AR. A product as an anniversary artefact.
Know the fish?
We show them.
