Shelter’s Edge

With the Olympics the talk of the town (OK, world) this summer, it was game on for many of you shelters who took advantage of Olympic fever to get your own little champs in on the mega coverage. We picked some of your medal-worthy promotional feats to share:

In honor of the 30th Olympic games, adoptions for dogs and cats over 2 years old were $30 at Animal Friends, Inc, one of 50 agencies competing in the 2012 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge. From July 27 to August 12, visitors could view Olympic scorecards displayed on the animals’ kennels for competitions including Litter-boxing, Doggie Paddle and 10,000-minute nap. (As you can see, some scored better than others.)

We saw adoption discounts accompanied by incredible graphics, like this one from SPCA of Wake County…

And this one from $100K Challenge Contestant Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, where all fees are waived until October!

Some agencies used the Olympics for Facebook fan fun. $100K Challenger Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter hit engagement gold when they asked their audience to finish the sentence below, and then clicked “like” on all of the responses. 

(P.S. Quick, someone tell the Olympic committee…popular answers were barking and sleeping. Maybe we’ll see some new categories in 2016?!)

Swimming champ Michael Phelps starred in a couple of Facebook posts, like this one from $100K Challenger BARC Animal Shelter, where adoption fees were sponsored for all of their Gold Medal PurrFurred Pets…

And this one from another $100K Challenge contestant, Marin Humane Society, who captioned this photo, “Phelps/Lochte showdown! These kitties are both gold.”

What else were the Olympics good for? A great backdrop for a photo op! $100K Challenger Young Williams Animal Center used a couple of simple props to score this winning shot.

Also lovin’ this backdrop from SPCA of Wake County. “We have been training to win the gold: a home with you,” reads the sign in this pic, one of many in their Pit Crew, Olympic style photo album.

We wanna know – how has your agency taken advantage of a popular event to creatively promote your animals? Tell us in the comment box!

Related Links:
Creative Communications on Shelters’ Edge
50 Things to Do on Facebook

Tags: $100K Challenge, Adoption Marketing, Adoption Programs, Fee-Waived Adoptions, Marketing & Media, Pit Bulls, Saving Lives, Social Media

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