Non-Profit Marketing Recommendations for Peta

Non-Profit Marketing Recommendations: PETA

Business is big for animal protection non-profit, PETA. In fact, according to PETA's website, the charitable organization spent more than $30M in overhead in 2007, and earned even more. The company of only 300 employees holds more than $16M in net assets currently. PETA, an acronym for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals also known as the Foundation to Support Animal Protection, spends more than $400,000 annually on litigation against firms and organizations it deems a danger to animals. Without a doubt, marketing plays a huge role in what fuels PETA. With over 91% of its income generated in 2007 coming directly from corporate and individual donations, PETA's success hinges upon reaching prospective donors directly and effectively. No better medium than direct marketing should be used.

According to its web site, PETA currently employs various direct marketing strategies through e-mail campaigns, activist and outreach groups, telemarketing, direct mail, as well as campaigns in traditional mass media vehicles including television, radio, newspaper, magazine and billboards. In my opinion, PETA does a respectable job of using these various media effectively. My recommendations for change to its marketing efforts are rooted in the messages it projects. Most of PETAs target market, those people with at least moderate expendable income, philanthropic needs/tendencies, and are educated about animal treatment policies, are aware of the 501(c)(3)'s brand. However, much of that market, including myself, an animal-lover, is put off by PETA's controversial marketing endeavors. For example, the Associated Press reported in August of 2008 that PETA designed and attempted to run a print ad in Manitoba's Portage la Prairie Daily Graphic newspaper. The newspaper's distribution includes a city in which a man had recently stabbed, beheaded, and cannibalized (in part) another man. PETA's attempted ad included "imagery of a...