Everyone – a furry friend: how Foxtrot helps reduce the number of stray animals

Ukraine is one of the ten countries in the world with the largest number of stray animals. According to various estimates, only dogs – about 50 000-100 000, and official statistics of all abandoned animals no one keeps. Comprehensively, at the state level, no one tackles this problem.

Non-state animal shelters, which exist in almost every region (only in the Kyiv region – more than 20), are trying to solve this problem in part. But because they financed exclusively from sponsors and caring Ukrainians, they very often face financial problems. In addition, shelters are usually overcrowded, and the issue of popularizing the issue of adoption (family placement) lies solely on the shoulders of volunteers.

Foxtrot, as a socially oriented company, could not stay away from this problem. And since the brand character is Foxy the fox, it became clear that animal protection should become a leading social issue to address this issue.

SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM SITUATION

At the end of 2020, the network of electronics and home appliances Foxtrot decided to take this issue as the basis of corporate social policy. After a series of consultations with the charity organization Charitable Foundation “Happy Paw”, it was decided to introduce a joint social project “Fluffy friends in every home.” It’s based on the idea of adapting abandoned “tails”, material assistance to shelters and in general the promotion of humane treatment of all animals, drawing the company’s own attention to this problem as a global one.

Of course, has used a brand character – Foxу, who became an ambassador for all animals looking for a home and a loving owner.

Stages of implementation:

December 2020-January 2021

• consultations with the Happy Paw Foundation;

• development of strategy and communication plan.

February 2021

• launch of an information campaign about homeless animals and shelters

• launch of videos about lonely animals in all 166 stores of the network

• providing monthly charitable assistance to shelters with equipment and food

March-May 2021

• Foxtrot’s participation in the Bioethics Foundation’s educational project. Involvement of more than 2000 schools and kindergartens in educational and practical work to help homeless animals;

• Foxtrot’s first visits to shelters, which later became regular;

• built an aviary for rescued chanterelles in the shelter “Best Friends” (Kyiv region) and took them under care;

June 2021

• launch for sale of charitable magnets, the proceeds from the sale of which are used for the needs of shelters (vaccines, feed, repair of aviaries);

• launching a competition among sellers and cashiers;

• involvement of partners – BEKO as a technical sponsor.

August 2021

• launch of fundraising, feed and basic necessities for animals at the front office in Kyiv (1 Dorogozhytska Street).

Natalia Sytnyk, project initiator, Foxtrot marketing director:

“Foxtrot has always been an active initiator and participant in many areas of charity. And this year, with a view to the next, we decided to implement a project that will be easily associated with our brand and will have a tangible social effect. To help find a family for the animals, we delegated a team of four-legged friends led by our Foxy. It is very nice that the idea was shared by the company’s management and given the «green light» for its implementation. Therefore, all paths became open for us and in less than a year we were able to do even more than planned in the beginning”.

Implementation mechanics:

• a large-scale information campaign at the expense of the network about the importance of adoption: the launch of social advertising in the subway, outdoor media, shops and communication in the media;

• financial assistance to shelters every mounth (household appliances, food supply);

• creation of a volunteer movement among the company’s employees to participate in the project and to strengthen corporate values;

• sponsorship of all-Ukrainian educational projects of the Happy Paw Foundation for children of preschool and secondary schools on responsible treatment of animals at the initiative of the Happy Paw Charitable Foundation.

Lyudmyla Yenzheyevska, curator of the Happy Paw Foundation:

“Today, most people do not have enough information about the number of shelters for stray animals that exist in Ukraine. The purpose of our cooperation with Foxtrot is to tell as many Ukrainians as possible about shelters and thus increase the chances of animals to be placed in new families”.

Results (February-November 2021):

• 17 shelters received assistance with household appliances and food in the amount of over UAH 350,000;

• over UAH 500,000 was allocated to popularize the idea of adoption in the media (branding of subway cars and windows, information stands, television);

• UAH 250,000 was allocated to support educational projects with preschoolers and schoolchildren from all over the country (“Philanthropists in Action”, “All-Ukrainian Kindness Lesson”, “Dream Booth”, etc.);

• 10 corporate trips to shelters.

RESULTS OF THE DECISION

• through the joint efforts of the company, volunteers and public organizations, 250-300 animals from shelters receive a home every month;

• Beko, Canon, vivo joined the activities, expanding the range of influence on the Foxtrot brand and on employers’ own brands;

• business environment, customers and stakeholders respond positively to the project. As an example, for three months from the sale of charity magnets in 20 stores in Kyiv received 10 thousand hryvnias, which directed to the needs of shelters;

• in combination with system marketing activities for the I quarter. In 2021, the share of buyers from Kyiv increased (+3.9 points). Foxtrot increased the conversion of knowledge/attendance (+4 points) and knowledge/purchase (TNS Ukraine, MMI 2021, 1) and attendance/purchase (+2 points) in Q2, 2021 (TNS Ukraine, MMI 2021, 2). From October 2020 to July 2021, knowledge grew among hardware and electronics stores (+5 points) (4Service, 7’21).

• in terms of reputation (number of positive mentions, index of favoritism and brand involvement) Foxtrot is a leader among popular networks of technology and electronics (LOOQMI study, 01.01-01.09.2021).

Further plans are to continue the project in order to fulfill the main mission: to help the animals from the shelter to find themselves in a warm home.