Founding Research | Save Marcus

We began this journey by sponsoring a project at the Eller College of the University of Arizona, to research the ecosystem and identify the biggest challenges and the most disruptive opportunities. A team of graduate students, advised by faculty, researched existing data, and then generated original data - from surveys and interviews of dog owners and non-owners, locally and nationally, and of the leaders and staff of shelters and rescue organizations.

Key findings:

There are high - surprisingly high - levels of interest adoption. 70% of those surveyed in were interested in a future adoption.

There is great interest in true rescue. 65% respondents said they would likely intervene if they were aware of a dog whose life was at imminent risk.

There is great interest in helping to create visibility. 60% of respondents indicated that they would be happy to help spread the word about shelters in their area. (Different than volunteering at the shelter).

Shelters have no resources to market or even to communicate. Shelters are overcrowded and survive on budgets that do not cover the welfare needs of the animals or the communities they serve. Typically there is no budget at all for marketing. Only 10% of shelters have a formal communications officer. Budgets and bandwidth for publicity and outreach are minimal. Marketing is viewed as a secondary, volunteer-driven activity.

From a brand/retail perspective the shelter model is untenable. You can't attract customers if you don't have a way to reach them. Social media has been a godsend to shelters, but even that takes resources - expertise. And, as any retailer knows, it is only part of a marketing plan, and does not substitute for the ability to spend resources to get the message out.

If a typical regional shelter were a retailer, it would be spending millions every year on marketing. Retailers spend 15%-25% their budgets on customer acquisition. That implies that a medium size urban shelter, with a $10M budget, needs to spend millions annually on marketing.

There is overwhelming support for businesses that visibly support rescue. 90% of respondents said that they would be more likely to support businesses and brands that were actively supporting rescue, adoption, and shelters.

These results document a clear need. The core issue is visibility. To use marketing terms, it's getting more potential customers into the wide end of the funnel. There are many wonderful initiatives in the rescue arena, but surprisingly few - if any - with a systematic branding and marketing focus.

The results point to a clear opportunity. Given the level of public support for businesses that promote rescue - we think the most powerful idea is partnership with respected brands. Not just any or every brand - that would devalue both the brands and the cause. Rather, a few brands whose mission, values, and customer base align. For those brands, the goodwill we found in our research can translate into new opportunities, even as their engagement saves lives.

It's also critical to help to build support for the community of entrepreneurs and nonprofits who are seeking the same goals. A community of growing brands, driven by grassroots engagement, are also making a difference and changing the conversation. If you are building a business in this space, with this mission, we'd like to know you, and to help.