Overview

Role: Marketing Manager
Focus Areas: Social Media Strategy · Visual Content · Campaign Design · Website Management · Community Engagement · Storytelling · Animal Welfare Marketing

Each year, long-stay shelter animals—often overlooked due to age, appearance, or behavior misconceptions—struggle to find homes and face the risk of being forgotten, especially during the busy holiday season. To address this, I created and led the 12 Days of Pawlidays, a 12-day storytelling campaign that gave these pets visibility, voice, and a second chance.

Despite their potential, long-stay animals are often passed over due to preconceived notions about age, temperament, or past experiences. These misconceptions, paired with the sheer volume of pets in need during the holidays, make it even harder for these animals to stand out.

The challenge was to develop a campaign that would increase awareness of overlooked pets, maintain engagement across a 12-day content cycle, convert interest into adoptions, and strengthen the shelter’s emotional bond with its community—all while staying true to the brand’s voice and mission.

I developed the campaign around a holiday countdown—a concept rooted in warmth, tradition, and daily anticipation. From December 12 through December 23, one long-stay animal was featured per day, giving each pet a dedicated spotlight and a chance to connect with adopters through story and imagery.

A custom landing page served as the hub for the campaign, designed as an interactive digital advent calendar. Each “window” revealed that day’s pet and linked to a feature-length story about their journey, personality, and ideal home.

I wrote twelve original blog posts—one for each featured pet—crafting personal, emotional narratives that invited readers to connect on a deeper level. These stories elevated the animals beyond basic adoption bios and allowed their personalities to shine.

To create urgency, we offered fee-waived adoptions for the spotlighted animal on their designated day. This not only increased interest but encouraged adopters to act quickly while emotions were fresh.

Daily Instagram and Facebook posts featured custom-designed graphics and captions aligned with each pet’s story. The consistency of tone, visuals, and posting cadence helped build audience expectations and drive return engagement throughout the campaign.

The campaign’s visibility extended beyond digital, with homepage banners and in-shelter signage updated daily to reinforce the message both online and onsite. A staff-led holiday video added warmth, trust, and authenticity, humanizing the effort while reinforcing brand alignment.

Two of the twelve long-stay animals were adopted within thirty days of their campaign spotlight—a meaningful result considering the length of time they had already spent in care. These placements demonstrated the campaign’s ability to translate visibility into real outcomes.

Each element of the campaign was crafted to support both narrative and emotional impact. From blog content to video to social storytelling, the tone remained empathetic, engaging, and mission-driven. Every day, the campaign invited people to care—and gave them a tangible way to act.

The campaign landing page saw over 4,000 unique views during the 12-day period, marking a significant increase in web traffic compared to the prior month. Visitors not only clicked—they stayed, read stories, and returned to see the next day’s spotlight.

Social media engagement increased by 18% compared to pre-campaign averages, with noticeable spikes in comments, shares, and direct inquiries. Users responded emotionally and publicly to the stories, creating momentum that built day by day.

Beyond metrics, the campaign fostered a sense of goodwill and empathy. Audience comments reflected admiration for the effort, emotional investment in the pets, and deeper alignment with the shelter’s mission. The response confirmed that authentic, heart-led content fosters trust and action.