Whether you are promoting a new product, celebrating a special person’s achievement, or catching the crowd’s attention at an event, great marketing should creatively connect to your target audience.
Especially these days, it can be hard to escape the humdrum habits and catch people’s attention for long.
That’s when an eye-popping lifesize cutout can be just the wow factor you need to boost excitement and engagement with your products or organization.
We love to see examples of our clients using cutouts outside of business for other missions, too –– like saving the lives of companion animals across the country. That’s just what nonprofit Maddie’s Fund did with their adorable pooch that inspired a movement.
Find out more about how Cardboard Cutouts and mission-driven organizations can unite to change the world by reading the following story about Maddie’s Fund!
What is Maddie’s Fund?
Since 1994, the Maddie’s Fund family foundation has awarded more than $225.7 million dollars in grants to support animal initiatives around community lifesaving, shelter management, foster care, and shelter medicine education.
Founders Dave and Cheryl Duffield named the organization after their miniature Schnauzer, Maddie. Her love and devotion fueled their mission to “create a no-kill nation where every dog and cat is guaranteed a healthy home or habitat. #ThanksToMaddie.” In pursuit of this aim, the 501(c)3 nonprofit strives to revolutionize companion animals’ well-being.
Maddie’s Fund delivers research, education, and innovation grants to encourage more scientific investigation into the animal welfare industry, recruit supporters and innovators, and novel programming aimed at lifesaving.
But Maddie’s Fund doesn’t just support creativity –– it practices it, too. Attend a Maddie’s Fund event, and you’re likely to stand toe-to-paw next to a five-foot cutout of the foundation’s namesake.
To find out more, we spoke with someone from Maddie’s Fund who explained how this Cardboard Cutout is supporting their mission.
So, why did Maddie’s Fund purchase a Cardboard Cutout?
“Our brand strategy is to honor our namesake, a miniature schnauzer named Maddie. We wanted to showcase the cutouts at Maddie’s Pet Adoption Day events and send them to grantees across the country. They are a great way to connect the visual to our hashtag #ThanksToMaddie, which appears on our marketing and social media promotions.”
How did the cutouts work for your events?
“In both types of events, they are used for adopters and foster families to take a photo with the Standup Maddie for a keepsake and to send to us for sharing purposes. It’s always fun to see people posing for selfies and smiling with Maddie.”
What was the customer reaction to the cardboard cutouts like?
“Shelter staff, volunteers as well as adopter families have been so taken by the five-foot Maddie, they have even dressed her up in scrubs for spay and neuter events or during the holidays. Shelter visitors smile when they see her and are reminded of our mission. She is so approachable and they can relate to the love Maddie’s family had for her.”
Do you plan on using them in any different, interesting ways in the future?
“We have done a smaller version we lovingly call our Flat Maddies. We use them in many places – throughout the US and even sent them to Puerto Rico. Also, we’ve created handheld versions that conference attendees can take selfies with.”
Besides cardboard cutouts, are you using any other cool marketing strategies for events, promotions or other activities?
“We have our Maddie costume that travels around the country at events to help get the word out. People love posing with her, too!”
Could a Cardboard Cutout Help You Change the World?
In the case of Maddie’s Fund, a life-sized pooch was just the bit of pizzazz they were looking for. Now, #ThanksToMaddie, the foundation continues to support animal-friendly initiatives nationwide.
By honoring the pup that helped to start it all, Maddie’s cutout brings joy to those she meets and inspires those around her to take care of the animals around them.
So now the question is: what could a cardboard cutout help you do? If your business is in need of a new social media star or your outreach strategy could use a creative boost, look no further than a cardboard cutout.
Depending on your needs, we have an array of options to choose from, including standees, BigHeads, life-size, and more.
Are you ready to find the one that is dog-gone perfect for you?
