ROI: Sydney Dogs and Cats Home
Agency: M&C Saatchi Sydney
Client: Sydney Dogs and Cats Home, Australia

Background
The creative challenge was to try to get media influencers, such as radio DJs and magazine editors, aware that the Sydney Dogs Home was changing its name. It was now to be called the Sydney Dogs and Cats Home.
The problem was that there was only marginal awareness of the animal shelter even before the name change. Trying to cut through and generate free media coverage that the refuge now sheltered cats was not going to be easy.
Idea
The insight here was that stroking soft fur is almost addictive. A tactile postcard was created with fake fur and this was mailed to the hosts of breakfast TV shows, radio shows and to newspaper and magazine editors. The message, that it’s a lot better when it’s a real purring cat, made the point clearly that the dogs’ home now admitted cats.
Results
Within the first week of the pack being mailed, five media outlets confirmed that they would run articles and stories on the name change. This included Current Affair, who spent an entire day shooting at the Cats and Dogs Home, and The Southern Courier, which covers the catchment area for the Home. With the packs costing a total of AUS$269.00, the campaign had achieved an ROI of 316:1 within a month.
Synergy Says
Mail is tactile in a way no other media can replicate. And this must surely be one of the most tactile examples of Mail ever. Ideas like this don’t just last longer in the memory, they last longer in fact. A mailing that captures the imagination can be kept for months, even years. Long after the TV campaign has been forgotten or the emails trashed, this postcard will have survived in offices and homes. Truly a great demonstration of what mail can do as well as a brilliant demonstration of the enormous pleasure to be had from adopting an abandoned cat.
Creative Team
Creative Director: Dave King
Art Directors: Jason Woelfl, Gavin McLeod
Copywriter: Dave King
Production Managers: Fiona Rooney, Justin Marando
Other Credits: Manager, Sydney Dogs and Cats Home – Pat Hood
PR Support: Andrea Kerekes, Rochelle Burbury (Open Dialogue)
To binge on your own beautifully printed and bound copy collection of these campaigns simply drop Andrew a line with your postal address to andrew@synergy-print.co.uk. Please put ‘ROI request’ in the subject line. Have a thoroughly creative day!