#findyourfido

I want to go on more about Berger’s Six Principles of Contagiousness by looking at another one of those principles: EMOTION. We all have content that we see that makes us emotional whether it’s sad, angry, happy, nostalgic and so on. Don’t get what I’m talking about? Ok, now close your eyes, see a screen of sad puppy eyes and Sarah McLachlan speaking with her song “Angel” playing in the background. You know what commercial I’m talking about and I can get you get tears in your eyes every time it comes across your television. THAT is creating emotion! Creating emotion becomes fairly easy when the topic revolves around a subject that is close to peoples’ hearts, like animals. The ASPCA is great at creating and sharing content that makes you fill with all kinds of emotion. Their Instagram is full of everything from animals up for adoptions, to posts about the recent natural disasters like Irma and Harvey and heartwarming rescue stories. Not only does it make you want to support them but it also makes you awnt to empty your wallet for them. Below are a few examples of the different type of content they post on their Instagram. First, is a typical adoption photo for a dog in their care, how they got into their care and where to meet them. Next, is one of their heartwarming stories of an animal who has been adopted. Last, is an example of a photo that can bring tears to your eyes as you see an ASPCA volunteer reuniting a cat with their owner after Hurricane Harvey. It’s a simple, yet powerful photo that just shows what they do and how much they help animals in need.

 Credit: aspca

Their YouTube channel often goes more in depth about what they do with longer videos covering their entire organization and their efforts. They have everything from adoptable animals, raids and rescues, cute rescued animals and more. Posted below is a powerful video from an animal cruelty situation where 700 cats were pulled from a “sanctuary” in Florida. And if you’re curious, the owner of the sanctuary was arrested with one count of animal cruelty, three counts of cruelty to animals and one count of scheming to defraud. It goes to show that the ASPCA doesn’t just rescue, but they do everything in their power to make sure those who commit animal cruelty are brought to justice. This video goes through the process of large rescues like these and who all is involved. Many people don’t’ realize how much of an army it takes to do efforts like these who are specially trained and dedicate their lives. Without videos like these, many people would have no idea. This is also one of their most viewed videos with over 57,000 views.

 The next thing to look at is their Twitter. Twitter is known as being a platform that allows organizations to better interact with their followers on a more real time and personal level. The ASPCA has 469K followers on Twitter which beats out their Instagram that has 263K followers. Why? Let’s find out. First off, the ASPCA actually posts more frequently to their Twitter and has many posts and photos that aren’t present on their Instagram. The posts are more quick and to the point, as well. A second plus is that it retweets numerous times from it’s followers including celebrity Nina Dobrev who is an active ASPCA follower and rescue advocate. I personally enjoy looking through their Twitter and to tie into the emotion factor I’ve been talking about, I am feeling so many things right now from overwhelming happiness reading adoption stories to laughter at the funny photos they share of recently adopted dogs.

Lastly, the ASPCA has created a campaign called #FindYourFido as a part of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month which is basically a cutout of a dog shown all over the country at different events and location as a promoting tool to help get more dogs adopted from the ASPCA. Below is an example of one of their posts from a Central Park adoption event. 

It’s a cute way that touches people’s hearts and it also creates some social currency to their followers as people want to find Fido, take a photo and post it. Not everyone can do this as it’s only available at ASPCA events which makes it even more special. Now excuse me while I go cuddle with my rescue kitty, Gypsy.

 Au revoir,

Had a great time today hanging out with so many sweet souls from the Charlotte ASPCA with @zzward.  All these pups are up for adoption.