The Menagerie of Us All: The Real Reason Behind the Animals of Unplugged

The Contextual Clipper Special Edition: Unplugged State of Mind, AWNY 2025

This article was originally published in The Contextual Clipper, our on-site newspaper for Unplugged State of Mind, a three-day activation during Advertising Week 2025. This closing feature of The Contextual Clipper reflects on the origins of our animal correspondents and the meaning behind them. First imagined at the debut of Strangers No More and later expanded in Las Vegas, these creatures embody the spirit of the industry itself — diverse, distinct, and stronger together. Authored collectively by Your Faithful Correspondents and voiced by Tameka Kee, .SVP, Programming & Operations at Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement..

The Menagerie of Us AllTameka Kee

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We’ll admit it, dear reader: the question comes up often. Why the animals? Why raccoons and pandas, elephants and dragons, flamingos and tigers scattered through these pages? Rest assured, we haven’t lost the plot. There’s a purpose here.

When we opened the doors to our very first Strangers No More at The Stranger, those four creatures appeared almost by accident. A raccoon, a panda, a pink elephant, a dragon — part décor, part dare, entirely in tune with the mischief of the night. But from the beginning, we were never just designing parties. We were designing gatherings. Trying to reimagine what it means to bring people together, and finding new ways to make those moments memorable.

Over time, we began to notice something bigger. These animals weren’t just playful mascots, they were stand-ins for the variety that makes our world tick. Each was a different species, each from a different background, and together they mirrored the mosaic we all operate in. Because an industry isn’t made of a single type. It’s agencies and ad tech, publishers and platforms, brands and buyers, each with their own instincts, roles, and quirks. And just as the business relies on its mix of companies, the gatherings themselves depend on the mix of people inside them. The raccoon-type connectors, the elephant hearts, the dragon visionaries — each one matters, and none of them can carry it alone.

Because here’s the truth: too many in this industry do the same things over and over, then wonder why it feels flat. The animals are our answer to that sameness. They remind us that connection is messy and varied, that people come in all forms, and that community is built not on repetition, but on difference. The Connector, The Wildcard, The Heart, The Visionary, The Vibe Keeper, The Power Player, The Trendsetter, The Adventurer — each a reflection of the people who show up, each vital to the mosaic that makes this industry matter.

So no, we’re not crazy. We’re playful on purpose. Sometimes the best way to capture something serious — like community, collaboration, and connection — is through a little fun. Which animal are you? Scan the code, take the quiz, and find out. Then find your fellow creatures, and more importantly, the ones unlike you. Because that’s where the real magic lives: in the mix, the mosaic, the menagerie of us all.