Haley Ward

Robeson County Humane Society

Fundraiser

Advertising Campaign

Haley Ward

1. Executive Summary

Our agency acquired a contract to assist a nonprofit organization, the Robeson County Humane Society, with increasing the organizations awareness, increasing profits and the amount of consistent volunteers.

RCHS has already involved themselves with fundraising efforts including an annual golf tournament fundraiser. We hope to increase awareness about the upcoming golf tournament through print ads.

We also plan on targeting the need for volunteers by targeting college students on campus. By placing a booth on campus with volunteer sign-up sheets, we hope to acquire enough volunteers to attend the PetSmart adoption event in May. The booth will also have a donation jar for those that want to help but can’t volunteer. Those that volunteer for the event will then be sent out mailers afterwards to try and maintain repeat volunteers.

The following ad strategy is focused on fixing the organizations weaknesses, and gaining enough stability to increase advertising, budget, and volunteer reliability. By relying on low-budget advertising such as newspaper and Public Service Announcements in radio and television we hope to increase awareness and strengthen the whole of the organization.

The campaign will run for four weeks, and then an assessment will be done. The campaign, with any corrections needed after the four weeks, will then be given over to RCHS to continue operating on their own.

Haley Ward

2. Situational Analysis

Strengths:

• Robeson County Humane Society is a non-profit organization that has a good community image

• They are dedicated to the care and placement of rescued animals, and have started programs that will enrich the community and the lives of animals

• RCHS offers reduced rates for spay and neutering for low income pet owners

• They also started the New Leash on Life Program that allows selected inmates to train dogs to make them more adoptable, and provide a type of rehabilitation for the inmates

Weaknesses:

• RCHS has a good image but is not well known. Their lack of consumer awareness leaves them hurting for volunteers. With the lack of consistent volunteers they are unable to participate in certain events or throw more fundraisers.

Opportunities/Threats:

• RCHS has predominately relied on word of mouth advertising to improve their volunteer insufficiency

• They have the opportunities to attend free events, but due to their lack of acquiring reliable volunteers they have not been able to participate. They are more focused on completing their major fundraising events that occur once a year.

3. Objectives

Increasing awareness of RCHS in the surrounding community

• Acquire more volunteers through different mediums and events

• Focus on keeping both long term and repeat volunteers through mail and social media

• Hold a promotional event on campus to acquire volunteers for an event at PetSmart

• Promote long term goals to increase ability to participate in local events

Haley Ward

4. Creative Strategy

Product Positioning:

• Campaign is designed to inform the public of pet adoptions of abandoned or hurt animals• To inform prospective volunteers in the local area

Target Audience:

• Adults 18-50+ in the Lumberton, Pembroke and Fayetteville areas• Families, and singles with middle to upper income• Animal lovers• College students (volunteers)

Media Plan

• Pulsating campaign• Promotional Event to have signup sheets on campus for both fall and spring semesters for

volunteers• Golf tournament fundraiser • We will target adults 18-50+• Public service announcements • Flyers for adoptions and volunteers

Newspaper

• 30 inch column ad for the Robesonian for every major fundraising event• We will use the courtesy rate of $16.95 per line on a Sunday a month and a week prior to the

event• We will use the courtesy rate of $16.95 per line on a Thursday a week prior to the event• We anticipate three appearances from the newspaper, ads• Submit an ad to as a public service announcement, but only at the editor’s discretion

Radio

• .30 second public service announcements on Cumulus broadcasting: Q98.1, Rock 103 and Magic 106.9

• We will target adults 18-50+ • We are submitting a no cost marketing advertisement that will be played at the stations

discretion

Television

• .30 second public service announcement on basic cable channels: ABC, CBS, NBC, and PBS

Haley Ward

• We will target adults 18-50+ • PSA played at networks discretion

Advertising Message

1Production Note: All talent should have a sincere love for animals.

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Haley Ward

ANNCR: 2(SFX: CATS AND DOG SOUNDS) Did you know that in our neighborhood there is a

no-kill, volunteer run animal shelter, where many loving animals are waiting? The

Robeson County Humane Society has been working to find great homes for hundreds of

cats and dogs for years, but there are still many animals that are looking for a forever

home. Adoptions are as easy as finding your new friend at the shelter and filling out

paper work to go over with the staff. So visit today at 3180 West Fifth Street in

Lumberton and find a new friend for life!

5. Budget

Creative Costs……………………………………………………………………$50.00

Radio……………………………………………………………………………$0.00

Newspaper………………………………………………………………………….$1525.50

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Television…………………………………………………………………………$0.00

Total Budget: $1575.50

6. Testing and Evaluation

We will measure our advertising plan effectiveness at the end of May, once our major fundraisers are finished and measure the outcome of the golf tournament and compare it to last years.

Haley Ward

We will also measure the increase in the amount of volunteers and whether or not they made a onetime appearance or they repeatedly came back. This data will help us to see if our objectives have been met and whether we need to re-evaluate or continue with our advertising and consider planning more events.