How WSPA uses marketing in the fight for animal welfare
The Handle with Care coalition is a World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) led global alliance of animal welfare organisations who share a common aim to end the long distance transport of animals for slaughter.

We speak to Jordan Burke, Communications Manager for WSPA, about his approach to marketing and what affect imagery has on a WSPA marketing campaign.

1. What's been your most successful marketing activity to date?
Online marketing has been excellent for us and has proven to be a great way to communicate our work. It allows us to interact in an innovative way with existing and potential supporters, and is also easily adapted to being a powerful campaigning tool.

2. Do you use any marketing research tools/websites?
We occasionally engage in some focus group activity which proves very valuable for communicating particular areas of our work.

3. What affect do images have on the impact of a marketing campaign?
Images are everything in animal welfare. We have a great archive of images showing animals in need and solution-based images showing the impact supporters can have in improving the lives of animals worldwide. We don't need to use graphic images of animal cruelty - often the expression on an animal's face is more than enough to convey the suffering it is experiencing.

4. What is the best marketing campaign you've seen in the last three months (from any field)?
I like the new Commonwealth Bank marketing campaign based on an American ad agency coming up with inappropriate ideas to promote the bank in Australia. The campaign has even caused a stir in the Australian media so there's some extra publicity for them you just can't buy.

5. Why did you choose PR to incorporate in your marketing mix?
There's nothing like maximising editorial coverage to complement your marketing activities. Whenever possible we integrate PR and marketing as we always find the response we receive - whether for campaigning or attracting new supporters - is much greater.

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