Marketing Human Kindness
Founded in 1877, American Humane has a long history of marketing human kindness to support America’s vulnerable children and animals.
Unfortunately, during the late 20th Century, the association’s child and animal protection programs were losing relevance and donor support was diminishing.
The Challenge
Initially, working as a consultant with American Humane, I was tasked with determining how to re-energize fundraising. Initial research confirmed that potential funding sources included 1) individual donors, 2) cause marketing partners, and 3) grant providers. Unfortunately, research also indicated that American Humane’s nonprofit marketing programs were no longer resonating with potential funders.
I shared these research findings with American Humane’s CEO and Board of Directors and preposed redeveloping and rebranding American Humane’s public outreach programs to increase their ability to promote human kindness toward vulnerable children and animals.
I suggested that I assume a newly created position of Vice President of Public Programs and Marketing. We appointed me to the new position, and I was blessed with the support of a remarkable staff and shelter animal superstar Benji.
Read more about how AHA and Benji bonded.
Nonprofit Marketing Marriages
We rebranded three legacy outreach programs: Be Kind to Animals, The Very Best Pet Network and American Humane – Animal Planet Rescue. These programs were generously funded through cause marketing marriages
Be Kind to Animals
Partnering with the Purina PetCare Company and the Friskies brand, we created the Be Kind to Animals standards-based education program and distributed it, via the Internet, to grades 3 – 5 teachers nationwide.
Results
The Internet distributed Be Kind to Animals program was shared with teachers and students in more than 1,000 classrooms during the first year of distribution.
The Very Best Pet Network
In an effort to save the lives of millions of pets being euthanized every year, we partnered in an extensive cause marketing program with Purina PetCare Company, Walmart, canine movie star Benji and 2,500 local animal welfare organizations to create the first national shelter animal adoption program.
Results
American Humane’s nonprofit marketing marriages with Purina PetCare Company and Walmart generated more than $2.5 million in pro-bono services and program funding and $500,000 in private donations.
During the first year, the program reached 100 million Americans and raised donations that saved the lives of more than 125,000 pets.
American Humane – Animal Planet Rescue
Concurrent with developing the Be Kind to Animals and Very Best Pet Network programs, we forged an extensive cause marketing partnership with Discovery Network’s Animal Planet channel. Together, we developed a cause marketing program centered on rescuing animals in natural disasters.
Results
American Humane’s nonprofit marketing marriage with Animal generated more than $6 million in grant funding and donations. In addition, the program established a wide variety of battle tested animal rescue best practices.
This is a photo of the Rescue Clinic that American Humane and Animal Planet co-developed. The truck operated in tandem with the Red Cross, to aid animals in national disasters, including Hurricane Katrina.
Frequently featured in Animal Planet Network programming, this rescue rig housed six team members, a dorm, full kitchen, bathroom and shower, veterinary clinic, garages for boats, a rescue ambulance and swift water rescue equipment and an incident command office.
Impacts
American Humane’s new approach to marketing human kindness touched more than 100 million people and raised more than $10 million. And, of greatest importance, these programs reenergized American Humane’s national leadership position in humane education, shelter animal adoptions, and animal rescue interventions.