Desert Tortoise Adoption

Overview

Objective 1
Single sentence description 

Objective 2
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Objective 4
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Engagement
Smart and steady wins the race.

Each year, the Arizona Game & Fish Department (AZGFD) rescues hundreds of captive desert tortoises that have been turned into the state or abandoned because of illegal breeding. It is not safe for these tortoises to be released back into the wild, due to the risk of transmitting diseases. With a record-setting number of these creatures needing homes—nearly 400 in 2023 alone—AZGFD faced a significant challeng and turned to Off Madison Ave for help.

 

 

The Strategy: Help protect Arizona’s desert wildlife by encouraging locals to add a desert tortoise to their family.

To increase awareness and encourage the adoption of desert tortoises throughout Arizona, Off Madison Ave created a multi-layered campaign that included strategically timed marketing bursts with high-impact, urgency-creating tactics.

The campaign unfolded in two phases: an initial burst from mid-February to April and a second from early June through August. The first phase hit when tortoises were in a brumation (sleeping) period. Through proactive public relations, we hit the airwaves and new stations with educational content focused on the nuances of caring for a desert Tortoise, including habitat requirements and the long-term commitment they entail.
Then, once the tortoises awoke and were ready for their new homes, Off Madison Ave pivoted to adoption-activating efforts. Utilizing a mix of upper funnel radio, digital platforms like Meta, Google, and NextDoor, the campaign connected with both existing tortoise owners and those interested in adopting.

 

The Results

The marketing campaign created both widespread awareness and conversion:

  • More than 734.5 million impressions

  • CTRs of 24% on Google and 10% on Facebook, far surpassing industry benchmarks

  • 356 news segments and articles, a 133% increase in coverage YOY

Marketing metrics don’t matter if they don’t influence the end goal. And this campaign delivered with more than 334 adoption applications and 183 desert tortoises finding new homes. It’s testament to the campaign’s success and the community’s willingness to stick their neck out and adopt an unusual pet.

 

 

Results

734.5+MM

Impressions

 


133%

Increase in coverage YoY

 


365

News segments & articles

 


24%

CTR on Google

 


10%

CTR on Facebook

 


334

Adoption applications

 


183

Re-homed desert tortoises

 

 

Learn how the right mix of public relations can impact your brand.