Therapy Horses

COLORADO

The

Healing Hearts

Campaign

Table of Contents

Executive Summary Pg. 1

Situational Analysis Pg. 2

Competitive Analysis Pg. 3

Positioing Analysis Pg. 4

Target Market Analysis Pg. 5

Opportunity Analysis Pg. 6

Strategy Pg. 7

Pg. 8-9

Pg. 10-13

Pg. 14

Pg. 15

Tactics

Budeget

Evaluation

Objectives

Works Cited Pg. 16

Meet The Team

Shelby Wagner Omar Andazola Giano Fiore

Caden Duve Amanda Myers

Executive Summary

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The following advertising campaign outlines a creative strategy to market the services offered by Colorado Therapy Horses to the

breast cancer patients, survivors and their families in Colorado.

Situation Analysis: After analyzing the equine therapy industry ,Colorado Therapy Horses and their position, the market, competitors

and opportunities in the market, we have designed a plan to target the breast cancer community of Colorado. CTH differs from its

competitors in that it is the only non­riding facility in Colorado, with their focus being on the spiritual connection between human and

horse, as well as personal control. CTH aims to expand their practice in Greeley, Colorado where clients are able to stay the night,

and also where events can be held. CTH also differs from the competition because they serve a variety of customers. We believe in

order to reach such a large audience, CTH should refine their marketing efforts and focus on either attending support group

meetings, or digital marketing towards these groups through social media.

Target Market: The target market of focus for our campaign is breast cancer patients, survivors and their families in the state of

Colorado. Cancer survivors differ from the other areas targeted by CTH because they have suffered a life threatening illness, and

they need both physical and emotional support. Emotional support is why we decided to include the families of these patients and

survivors in our target market. The patients themselves have suffered, but the pain the family goes through is also traumatic.

Strategy, Objectives and Tactics: Our overall strategy of our Healing Hearts campaign is to create a movement that appeals to

breast cancer patients, survivors, and families that empowers them to heal their soul after the initial healing of the body. The

campaign will position itself in the lives of breast cancer patients and survivors through our logo, which features a pink horse shoe

bent to look like the breast cancer awareness ribbon, and the tagline “after the body heals, so should the heart.” We believe that

equine therapy can help these women regain their sense of power after feeling like they have lost their womanhood. Each objective

is outlined with specific dates in which we plan to launch, followed by tactics that further define our marketing efforts.

Evaluation: The purpose of the Healing Hearts campaign is to narrow down Colorado Therapy Horses’ target audience to a specific

group. The goal is that the horse shoe ribbon will be a recognized logo at many cancer events, in hospitals, and cancer centers. The

healing heart brand makes it easy for breast cancer patients, survivors and their families to talk about the services and spread the

word, thus growing your business. The goal is that the horse shoe ribbon will be a recognized logo at many cancer events, in

hospitals, and cancer centers.

Situation Analysis

Human Interpersonal Services is a staff of magnificent horses and humans that have a common goal of“healing the hearts of hurting humans like wounded warriors, victims of various kinds of trauma, brokenchild and family relationships and all kinds of wounded humans.” HIS is a non-profit charitablefoundation that was founded by Richard McMahan in 1988 in Fort Collins, Colorado. Their goal as acounseling facility is to try and use innovative therapies to reach the human spirit that causes a challengeto change. This form of equine (horse) therapy is the only one of its kind. While many other facilitiesfocus on riding and staying on the horse, HIS is a non riding program that focuses on the spiritualconnection between human and horse as well as personal control. The services offered range fromindividual sessions to group settings. However, HIS like to focus on a group setting because it allows theclients to engage with the horses and each other making for an even more powerful experience. HIS is instore for a very bright future due to its ability to serve a vast target market and its unique position as anequine therapy facility. They are looking to expand their practice in Greeley, Colorado to a ranch whereclients are able to spend the night and somewhere where events can be held. In order to help turn thisextension into a full service ranch, HIS is actively seeking for donations and grants that will help theirvision come to life so they may better serve all of those in need of a life changing journey.

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COMPETITIVEA N A L Y S I S

Major Competitors

CTRC is offers equine therapy and hippotherapy. Their riding equine therapy

is meant for riders to develop an emotional connection with their horse to

develop emotional growth. Participants do not need to be diagnosed with

any particular disorder to participate, but they do need to be in serious need.

Been in business since 1980.

Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center Inc

Twin Oaks Farm 

Colorado Springs Therapeutic Riding Center

Offer equine therapy, hippotherapy, and leadership trainings for people

with disabilities, people/groups who are seeking personal development

and people in need of physical therapy.

Twin Oaks is a socially conscious employer, and they call themselves

stewards of the land and the protectors of their animals. The farm and the

facilities are solar powered. 

CSTRC offers therapeutic riding and equine assisted psychotherapy. The

therapies are meant to be tailored to each individual by the trainer.

Participants can be 2 years or older and can train individually or with a

group.

CSTRC calls their therapy enjoyable and professional and meant for

anybody with physical, mental, emotional, or cognitive needs. 3

Positioning Analysis

CTH is the first non riding equinetherapy facility in Colorado

This therapy helps people express abetter feeling about the self as

demonstrated by behaviors of gainedpersonal power. Clients have

maintained connection with thisprogram so much as to desire to be avolunteer. They discovered a need tohelp others going through the same

program and want to give back to theprogram and the community.

CTH is completely free and isa non profit organization

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Target Market Analysis

Our specific target market is breast cancer survivors. Being that HIS is a therapeutic business in Greeley, we are going to focus on cancer survivorsin the state of Colorado. As of January 1, 2014 the estimates number of cancer survivors in Colorado was 211,670. Cancer survivors differ from theother markets that HIS is targeting because they have suffered through a life-threatening illness and they need both physical and emotional support.Many patients have anxiety about the cancer returning and there are other emotional and mental challenges cancer survivors tend to developincluding depression, PTSD and psychological distress. Breast cancer survivors not only suffer mental trauma but physical impairments as well.Osteopenia and osteoporosis significantly affect quality of life. Cancer survivors need to be able to feel they can return to their lives beforetreatment occurred and regain their power. There are currently a few areas in the Northern Colorado area that provide support groups for breastcancer survivors, but HIS provides the psychotherapy with non-riding equine therapy to really have a chance for the patients to connect with thehorses. The use of horse therapy in helping cancer survivors will be very beneficial in the sense that there are already so many people that have gonethrough this traumatic experience that these survivors have people to talk to at any time of the day. Having something, such as an animal, that maynot be able to communicate with you verbally but can sense emotionally that you are going through a rough time and help you regain your strengththrough that comfort is something that cannot be found everywhere.

A study done on equine therapy effects on breast cancer survivors in Israel in 2015, they found that while working with the horses and learningabout them as well as the therapy empowered the women and brought back a sense of control and confidence. This therapy center also focused onthe riding aspect, so HIS being the predominant non-riding center in Colorado can further promote them. Many other similar studies have been doneand all showed the same positive results in the quality of life and empowerment of breast cancer survivors.

Our Target Market

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Opportunity Analysis The competition is ignoring quite a large customer base. Granted, competition is minimal in this specific market right now, the

competitors seem to focus mainly on people with special needs such as down syndrome, traumatic brain injuries, paraplegia, and

learning disabilities. Another segment that the competition works with are trauma victims (sexual, mental, physical abuse, and

eating disorders). However, I believe that the competition is ignoring veterans, survivors of deadly disease’s, troubled and

underprivileged youth,  and recovering drug/alcohol abusers.

The market for disabled children and adults as well as trauma victims (divorce, loss of a loved one, emotional/physical abuse, and

neglect) is highly saturated. A majority of the competitors aim their focus at this target demographic, but this can essentially give

HIS the upper hand in the market because of the variety of customers they aim to serve. 

Currently, CTH's main source of marketing is word of mouth. they already have a large number of repeat customers that have

spread the word and have attracted even more customers. There are many opportunities to build relationships with target markets

using approaches such as attending support group meetings for cancer survivors, veterans, or abuse victims and showing their

pictures and videos of the program. Also, bringing a horse out to places where potential customers meet and allowing them to

experience the interaction with the horse might motivate people to come out to the ranch and gain the full therapeutic experience.

Also, social media marketing seems like something that could also be helpful but it would have to appeal directly to the emotions of

an array of people because every person fights a different kind of battle. An emotional video is something that always captures the

attention of large groups of people. Those seeking a way to fight their demons might be influenced more if those videos were

shared directly with groups they are involved with online that aim towards their personal healing and growth. 

 One opportunity that could be pursued is creating partnerships with companies that are in the similar field, but not direct

competition, in order to expand the reach to the community. There are so many companies that focus on helping people heal and

grow from past events through different types of activities that CTH could eventually intertwine with and allow for a more diverse

program for their customers. 

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StrategyOur main strategy is to create a movement that appeals to breast cancer patients, survivors, and families that empowers themto heal their soul after the initial healing of the body has begun or ended. Breast Cancer is a disease that is both physicallyand mentally exhausting for patients and families of patients as well. We believe that equine therapy is truly something thatcan help these women regain their sense of wonder and power after feeling like they have lost their womanhood.

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Objectives

Breast CancerAwareness 5K

walk/run 

By October of 2016 (breast cancer awareness month) 'The Healing Hearts" 5krun/walk will take place on Colorado Therapy Horses property. This 5K will

allow participants to meet the horse staff and interact with them before, during,and after the run. After the run has finished, there will be free time with the

horses to encourage participants to continue seeking equine therapy.

Launch theHealing HeartsAd Campaign 

By August of 2016 the healing hearts ad campaign will be launched targeting localColorado hospitals that treat and help rehabilitate breast cancer patients and

survivors. This campaign will emphasize the unique type of therapy that is offeredat CTH that allows for victims to escape the walls of the medical world and step

into the spiritual world of spending time with these incredible animals.

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Objectives Design a retreatspecifically forbreast cancersurvivors andvictims by June

2017

By June of 2017 have retreats planned that will be at the new facility with theoption of having an overnight stay and as well as daily activities meant

specifically for the breast cancer patient group

Establishpartnerships withestablished breast

cancerorganizations 

Establishing Partnerships with local organizations aimed at helping breastcancer victims will help CTH to build brand awareness as a company that

aims to help any human who is hurting rehabilitate without medicaltherapeutic practices. We would like to see partnerships beginning toestablish by August of 2016. We believe these partnerships will be

beneficial in the launch of the 5K run/walk.

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Tier 1 Tactics

The logo for the Healing Hearts campaign featuresa pink horse shoe bent to look like the breastcancer awareness ribbon. This design was chosenbecause the pink breast cancer awareness ribbon iseasily recognizable by any breast cancer patient,survivor or family member. This logo creates apositive association between equine therapy andbreast cancer treatment. The tagline “after the bodyheals, so does the heart” was created to empowertherapy seekers and give them hope. The trauma ofbreast cancer that the patients and their familiesfeel often leaves them powerless. This campaignwas designed to reverse that effects. This campaigntactic involves placing the healing heart logo in asmany places as possible associated with breastcancer. If people who have been through breastcancer related therapy create a positive associationin their mind with the horseshoe logo and equinetherapy, they will be more likely to seek out equinetherapy instead of other types.

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Tier 2 Tactics

Women's Resource Center (Fort Collins) American Cancer Society (Greeley) Caregivers support group (Loveland) Hearts of Hope Support Group (Loveland) Longmont Breast Cancer Self-Help Support Group Loveland Breast Cancer Support Group McKee Cancer Center (Loveland) Rocky Mountain Cancer Center (Longemont)

One of the most valuable assets that Colorado TherapyHorses offers is the ability to have a completely uniqueproduct established in Northern Colorado and also be theonly provider of non-riding horse therapy in the state ofColorado. However, having such a valuable product wontmake a difference if it is not advertised and promotedeffectively in this case we want to be able to show breastcancer survivors and the families of breast cancer survivorswhat Colorado Therapy Horses is. We believe that byreaching out to already established breast cancer supportgroups by having a 5K run on the CTH ranch we can notonly show the public what Colorado Therapy Horses is butwe can also help bring back people to the ranch for continuedhelp in healing the heart process. As you can see we havecreated an advertisement that will be published throughoutNorthern Colorado to inform the public about the event. Alsobelow we have listed some already established breast cancersupport groups that would be very interested in attending thisevent.

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By attending local events such as Relay for Life and The Boulder Boulder, the Healing Hearts campaign can beginto build it’s reputation among Breast Cancer activists in Colorado. It is critical for Colorado Therapy Horses to growand maintain a larger reputation in order to assert itself as the predominant source of Equine Therapy. By attending,participating, and volunteering for these types of events, Colorado Therapy Horses has the ability to become a well

known entity within the year.

To further set itself aside and draw attention to the entire population of such events, we propose that it would bebeneficial for Colorado Therapy Horses to actually station 2 to 3 of its horses at these events. WIth proper planningand acquisition of permits, this scheme is sure to gather the attention of many groups and individuals. If removing

horses from the pack becomes an issue, then it would be very possible, as well as probable, to create an alliance withlocal owners/breeders in hopes of “borrowing” their own horses to station at these events. While this tactic takes alittle more planning and work at times, we strongly believe that it is one of the most efficient ways to show off the

power that these horses hold when it comes to healing hearts.

Tier 3 Tactics

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Tier 4 Tactics The goal of the healing hearts campaign is to reach all people who are affected with breast

cancer. That means not just patients, but also the friends and family members of patients. Byputting the healing hearts logo in hospital bulletin boards and in cancer centers, the message will

reach that target audience.

Another effective way to create a lasting impression on members of our audience is createtangible take home objects that appeals to them emotionally while they are in treatment. Forexample, sending a care package with blankets, stuffed animals, clothings and even an actual

horse shoe that looks similar to the healing heart logo will create a lasting impression onpotential members of Colorado Horse Therapy.

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Budget

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EvaluationThe purpose of the Healing Hearts Campaign is tonarrow down Colorado Therapy Horses’ target audienceto a specific group. The healing heart brand makes iteasy for breast cancer patients, survivors and theirfamilies to talk about the services and spread the word,thus growing your business. The goal is that the horseshoe ribbon will be a recognized logo at many cancerevents, in hospitals, and cancer centers. Currently,Colorado Therapy Horses is being marketed to anybodyand everybody who needs help, which is a great concept.However, braking your marketing down into segmentswill make it much easier to attract audiences and ask forcorporate donations.

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Works Cited

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https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/CHED_Cancer_table_Mortality_county_gender_0309_10120215.pdfhttp://ridingbeyond.org/wp­content/uploads/2015/03/Equine­Assisted­Rehabilitation­for­Breast­Cancer­Survivors­FINAL­CORRECTED­12­28.pdf http://www.pathintl.org/images/pdf/conferences/national/2014­handouts/Thursday/E3­Equine­Assisted­Rehabilitation­for­Breast­Cancer­Patients­01.pdf Http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun05/helping.aspxhttp://www.heartsandhorses.org/http://www.equine­therapy­programs.com/behavioral.htmlhttp://www.twinoaksfarm.com/http://www.ctrcinc.org/