Ron Foth Advertising launched an animated spot promoting the “Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs” exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences, which runs through January 7, 2018.
So what is a Pterosaur? You’re probably already familiar with Pterodactylus, the genus of species within the Pterosauria order whose members are commonly known as Pterodactyls. Pterosaurs were an order of flying reptiles (which coexisted with but are separate from dinosaurs) which lived from the late Triassic through the Cretaceous period, and were the first flying vertebrates.
The spot opens on a diminutive and colorful Pterosaur gliding through the air, presumably the smallest known member of the order, Nemicolopterus.
“Millions of years ago, he ruled the skies,” begins the voiceover. “In flight, no one was a bigger deal,” he continues, “except this guy,” as a giant Pterosaurs soars overhead and the clouds part to reveal a view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The voiceover explains that the flying reptiles ranged from “the size of a sparrow to the size of a jet” before inviting viewers to discover the “massive mysteries of Pterosaurs” at the museum.
It’s a fun way to introduce the exhibit, giving a glimpse as to the wide variety of Pterosaur species and the magnitude of the larger specimens. The colorful animation and movie trailer-esque voiceover should pique the interest of younger viewers while hinting at what the exhibit has to offer.