Marketing Plan Example

Pet Adoption Event, Rochester Animal Shelter

THE ROAD HOME: Punkin & Pug, Ready for Adventure

Executive Summary

On November 4, 2025, the Rochester Area Animal Shelter will host its largest and most ambitious Adoption Celebration Event to date—waiving all adoption fees and spay/neuter service costs for approved adopters. But this is not just a one-day event. It’s the heartwarming conclusion to a year-long storytelling campaign designed to turn shelter animals into beloved community characters, build viral momentum, and ensure that every pet not only finds a home—but becomes part of a story that Rochester rallies around.

We call it The Road Home—and it begins now.

At its core, this campaign recognizes a simple truth: people connect most deeply with stories and personalities—and pets are just full of purr-sonality! So instead of just asking the public to adopt or donate, we’ll introduce them to (examples, real pets to-be-discovered): Gracey, a dignified older cat who hates cardboard but loves classical music. Bub, a scruffy pup with a permanent bad hair day and boundless joy. Muffin, a newborn baby kitten with tiny, squinty eyes and a huge heart for exploring her world. Rick, a playful pouncer who plays fetch by throwing the ball for other dogs. And so many more! Each pet will become a character—quirky, charming, relatable—and their journeys toward adoption will unfold week by week across social media, email, and online media events (stories that glow!)

Some pets will have their own social media profiles. Others will star in micro-documentaries or playful “diary entries.” Many will get monthly photo shoots where they’re dressed to express their personality—dogs in bowties and berets, kittens in tea party hats. We'll host theme days (like PAWS & Reflect Tuesdays), games (like Guess That Paw), and create immersive stories that build anticipation for November and generate more interest and adoptions leading up to the event.

The stars of our campaign, though, are Punkin and Pug (or real pet names to be discovered)—a fictional kitten and puppy pair “on a cross-country journey” to find their forever homes in Rochester. Powered by AI, their weekly escapades will take them from the Golden Gate Bridge to Niagara Falls, with adorable stops at iconic landmarks and near-disastrous detours (escaping an avalanche in Colorado! Visiting a parade in St. Louis!). 

Each week, we’ll post an AI-generated image of a scene from Punkin and Pug’s adventure, a mini-story, and an update on their interactive map, showing the paw prints of their progress. It’s part “Flat Stanley,” part Disney adventure, and 100% share-worthy every week! As national news stories unfold throughout the year, Punkin and Pug may find themselves in the foreground of the action—always on the move, always headed toward your heart. And a countdown to the November 4 promotion date will be prominently displayed across media, urging the audience to stay tuned and tugging at their desire to adopt now, not wait.

These stories won’t just live online. They’ll ripple through the community in real life. Pet photo exhibits at the local library. Pop-up “Tea Parties” where kids can meet cats in costume. Local businesses sponsoring specific pets or hosting donation drives. Each interaction builds a layer of emotional investment, encouraging people to follow the campaign, talk about it, and share it. Every story will foster the relationship between Area Animal Shelter and members of the community.

By the time November arrives, these pets will already be local mini-celebrities. Their faces, their quirks, their adventures—familiar and cherished. Which is why the Pet Adoption Ball, hosted just days before the event, will feel more like a homecoming than a gala. And wouldn’t you know it! Punkin and Pug arrive in Rochester just in time to be the guests of honor.

Gala event guests (donors, fans, media) will be invited to don their finest and celebrate the campaign’s most famous faces. “Paw-tographed” FreePrints images of the pets will be available (suggested donation $3 ea.) Adoption matches made at the Ball will feel like long-awaited reunions. The emotional impact—and viral potential—of those moments cannot be overstated.

Every channel of this campaign—email, social, press, SEO, video, events—is designed not just for visibility, but for virality. Every tactic is a conduit for story: the ones we tell, the ones people will re-share, and the ones they’ll write themselves (we’ll help them share!) as they take these animals home. This campaign will work because it taps into the same reasons people binge dog rescue videos, follow grumpy cats, and fall in love with shelter stories: emotion, humor, surprise, and joy.

By November 4, Rochester will not only know these animals, they’ll be rooting for them. And when the doors open on that final adoption day, it won’t be just about finding homes. It will be about giving every pet a grand, glorious, happy homecoming ending to their incredible story.

This is The Road Home. And it’s going to melt hearts, one pawprint at a time.

Goals (confirm/modify with client input):

• Adopt out all eligible animals before or at the culminating events.

• Raise awareness about Rochester Area Animal Shelter and its services.

• Increase community engagement through yearlong storytelling and events.

• Raise funds through creative and engaging fundraising efforts.

• Grow shelter’s visibility and long-term support base (adopters, followers, donors, volunteers).

• Drive attendance and media coverage for The Road Home: Rochester’s Pet Adoption Ball.

• Encourage early adoptions through weekly storytelling and social engagement.

• Build lasting relationships with adopters, followers, and community partners beyond the event.

• Attract positive media attention and press coverage to amplify campaign reach.

Target Audience (confirm/modify with clients)

• Families with children

• Millennials and Gen Z animal lovers

• Empty nesters seeking companionship

• Apartment dwellers seeking low-energy pets

• Local influencers and animal enthusiasts

• Local news and media outlets

Demographic notes for Rochester, NY:

A broad socio-economic mix. Important to offer free, flexible, and inclusive options while also appealing to higher-income individuals for fundraising efforts like the Pet Adoption Ball. Be careful to remain inclusive and provide options (donations can be suggested, not firm. Lottery invitations, competitions, earn-ins, etc.)

Key Campaign Themes

The Road Home

Punkin and Pug (TBD), our fictional feline and canine duo, are traveling across the country to find forever homes in Rochester. Using AI-edited imagery, we'll track their epic journey from San Francisco to Rochester, with weekly adventure updates, photos at landmarks, paw prints on an interactive map, and humorous setbacks (lost luggage, train mishaps, run-ins with wildlife).

They’ll be featured across:

• Social media

• Website banner with interactive pawprint map

• Email newsletter (The MEWSletter?)

• Local interest TV sponsorship: “Where are Punkin and Pug this week?”

• Local business sponsorships of animal’s stories/event support and more

These Pets Have PURRsonality!

• Weekly pet profile drops: Gracey, Bub, Muffin, Rick, etc.

• Each pet has:

○ A photo by a local photographer: shoot with props or costumes (or capture in group photo shoot: tea party, puppy parade, frisbee fun, etc.)

○ A bio: quirks, favorite foods, fun facts

○ Quote or “thought of the week” (give their actions a voice!)

○ Social handle or profile (for select animals)

○ Update posts (e.g. “Muffin just learned how to climb stairs!”)

Campaign Timeline & Strategy

Month Theme / Activities

Feb–Mar

Campaign identity launch. Introduce Punkin and Pug. First MEWSletter. Begin social build-up.

Apr–Jun

Monthly themed events, creative pet intros, influencer outreach, email opt-ins.

Jul–Aug

Start countdown clock (unless we’ve decided to start it already). Local ads go live. Monthly pet profile visits from local photographer. Optional “Halfway There” event?

Sep–Oct

Final CTA push. Shelter open houses. Adoption Ball promoted.

Nov

THE EVENT. Punkin and Pug reach Rochester! Livestreams. Live adoptions. Pet Adoption Ball. Social media flood.

Dec

Follow-up: adoption success stories, donation requests, volunteer sign-ups.

Channels & Tactics

Content & Social Media

• Platforms: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, X (optional)

• Pet bios + stories

• Punkin and Pug adventures (shorts, AI images, captions)

• “Guess That Paw” quiz game (Instagram carousel?)

• Weekly “PAWS & Reflect” mini-series: short clips of pets learning tricks, playing, or simply being themselves

• Monthly virtual Pet Parties: Prom, Tea Party, Costume Parade, Frisbee Fun, etc.

• (Optional) “Where Are They Now?” updates of adopted pets with owners who volunteer to participate

Suggested Tags: #MEWSday2025 #PuppyParadeDay #TheRoadHome #AdoptInRochester #GraceyAndFriends

Email & Newsletter (The “MEWSletter”)

• Weekly dispatches featuring:

○ 2–3 pet profiles with their unique personality stories

○ Punkin and Pug map updates (with adventure story)

○ Countdown to MEWSday Nov 4 Adoption Event

○ Adoption resources (how to apply, what to expect)

○ Events calendar

○ Success stories and donor shout-outs

○ Early registration link for the Pet Adoption Ball

Press & Community Outreach

• Partner with:

○ Local news

○ High school & college journalism programs

○ Pet stores and vet clinics

○ Local radio and podcast hosts

• Create buzz with:

○ “PAWtraits from Prom” photo/fan art exhibition at a public library

○ Costume contest on Social/YouTube (Halloween tie-in) (TV if we can get it)

○ Invitation to local personalities to “guest post” on Punkin and Pug’s page

Social Media Events (some with optional in-person components)

Monthly Themed Pet Parties: Month Theme

Feb

Love Fur-Ever (Valentine’s Day animals in love: show them as different types of couples)

Mar

Tea Party with cats in hats (social posts with animal personalities)

Apr

Guess That Paw (matching game of paw prints or super-close-ups on distinguishing marks)

May

Kibble & Canvas (pet fan art from pros, adult hobbyists, and kids who draw the pets)

Jun

Kitty Prom / Puppy Prom (Social posts of shelter animals in costumes)

Jul

Summer Splash Party (Shelter dogs splashing in the puppy pool, splash contest?)

Aug

Back-to-School with Barkley 

(TBD pet name - micro story of a pet or two in glasses, obedience training a plus!)

Sep

Celebrity Paw-tographs 

(Adoption event where donations are given for FreePrints photos with paw prints added)

Oct

Howl-O-Ween Costume Parade (Obviously, fun social of pets dressed in costumes)

Major Events

• Sunday, November 2, 2025: The Road Home: Pet Adoption Ball

○ Ticketed ($100 “suggested” donation?)

○ Cocktail attire

○ Live animal runway show

○ Celebrity pet guests (Gracey! Bub! Punkin and Pug!)

○ Punkin and Pug adventure (Mini-movie, slides, narration, emcee with presentation software)

○ Dinner donated by ___________________

○ Event hall donated by _________________

• Tuesday, November 4, 2025: Free Adoption Day

○ The day we’ve all been waiting fur!

○ Adoption fees and spay/neuter fees waived!

Website Strategy

Homepage Features:

• Bold banner headline: “The Road Home: MEWSday Event” (linked to event info)

• Interactive Tracker Map: Follow Punkin and Pug’s weekly journey to Rochester in real-time

• Countdown Timer: Days left until MEWSday, Nov 4, 2025

• Prominent Call-to-Action Buttons: “Adopt a Star,” “Meet Our Pets,” “RSVP for the Ball”

Dedicated Landing Pages:

1. MEWSday: Nov 4 Adoption Event Page

○ Event overview

○ FAQs (How to adopt, what’s included, who qualifies, what to bring)

○ Adoption application or interest form

○ Featured pets (with personality bios and glamour photos)

○ Event countdown and timeline

2. Punkin & Pug Adventure Blog

○ Weekly AI-generated stories + map tracker

○ Mini social content previews

○ Email sign-up embedded (“Get adventure updates”)

○ Share tools for social platforms

Forms & Lead Capture:

• Adoption Pre-Qualification Form (with automated confirmation & follow-up)

• Volunteer Interest Form (tagged by areas of help: events, transport, content, admin)

• RSVPs for Events:

○ Pet Tea Parties

○ Pet Adoption Ball

○ Puppy & Kitten Meetups (Note: Make forms mobile-friendly & link from social/email posts.)

Blog Strategy:

• Weekly Adventure Logs: Track Punkin & Pug and related pet features

• Staff & Volunteer Spotlights: Build trust, relatability, and community

• Pet Care & Nutrition Tips: Help potential adopters feel capable and prepared

• Behind-the-Scenes Posts: Photo days, costume fittings, shelter life glimpses

• Adoption Stories / Follow-ups: Show The Road Home already working

Paid Advertising (á la carte)

• Google Ads with geo-targeting (Rochester + surrounding counties)

• Meta ads focused on emotional storytelling and waived fees

• Geofencing near adoption target neighborhoods

• Remarketing ads for website visitors (use Punkin and Pug animations!)

• Display Ad Network from our own provider

• Local Print, TV and Radio

Key Messaging Examples

• “Adoption fees waived. Spay/neuter costs waived. All that's missing is you.”

• “Gracey’s ready for her forever home—are you?”

• “Where will Punkin and Pug land next? Follow their journey to The Road Home.”

• “Donate to dress a dog for prom!”

• “One day. Zero fees. Infinite love.”

Success Tracking

• Adoption Outcomes: Track total animals adopted during the campaign YoY, including same-day adoptions on Nov 4.

• Website Engagement: Measure landing page visits, form submissions (adoption interest, volunteer sign-ups, RSVPs), and average session time.

• Social Media Growth & Reach: Monitor follower increases, post reach, video views, story interactions, and hashtag usage (e.g., #TheRoadHomeROC).

• Email Marketing Performance: Evaluate MEWSletter open rates, click-throughs, new subscribers, and direct conversions from email to action.

• Fundraising Totals: Report dollars raised through online giving, the Adoption Ball, and sponsor-supported events or merch.

• Media & Community Involvement: Count press mentions, influencer participation, event attendance, and business or school partnerships.

• Audience Sentiment & Stories: Collect testimonials, viral content shares, and user-generated stories to highlight emotional and cultural impact.

Final Notes

• Use AI intelligently: Enhance pet photos, create photos/video clips of travel, generate digital postcards from Punkin and Pug

• Leverage emotion

  • Allow the community to participate: fan-submitted pet art, name-the-newborn contests, match the name to the pet games, social sharing contests, etc.

  • Make it easy to give: clear DONATE buttons, themed merchandise (e.g. Punkin and Pug Road Trip tee, event sponsorships, story sponsorships, etc.)