Case Study: Pawster

Services: Brand Strategy and Campaign Strategy for  Annual Fundraiser Campaign

Background 

Pawster is a Nashville-based nonprofit providing foster care for pets whose owners are in crisis. Serving the Greater Nashville area, Pawster provides a temporary home and a variety of wellness services to every pet in foster care at no cost to owners, utilizing a network of foster parents and resource partners until the owner and pet are reunited.

Challenge 

For several years, Pawster promoted two closely connected fundraising efforts: a 24-hour online Birthday Fundraiser and the Annual Doggie Drag Show, an in-person event held at the conclusion of the online campaign. Although proceeds from both supported the same annual fundraising goal, the initiatives operated under separate identities and were promoted at the same time, making it difficult for audiences to understand how they were connected.

The campaign structure also made it less clear how supporters could engage with Pawster’s annual fundraiser. As a result, some audiences may not have fully understood the range of opportunities available to support the organization’s mission.

Pawster engaged Crayons & Marketers to clarify the relationship between the fundraising efforts, reposition the Birthday Fundraiser, and develop a more cohesive marketing strategy for its annual campaign.

Solution 

Working closely with Pawster, Crayons & Marketers developed a more cohesive fundraising strategy that gave each campaign a clearer identity and role. The Birthday Fundraiser was repositioned as a standalone campaign centered on Pawster’s impact and history of service, while the Doggie Drag Show maintained its own distinct presence, celebrating the Pawster community.

To reduce confusion between the two, all references to “annual” were removed from the Doggie Drag Show’s branding, leaving the milestone language exclusively with the birthday campaign.

The Birthday Fundraiser was rebranded as the 6th Annual Barkday Fundraiser, creating a more celebratory and engaging platform for donor outreach. By framing the appeal as a birthday milestone rather than a standard fundraiser, the campaign spotlighted Pawster’s six years of community impact and gave supporters a relatable reason to give.

To support the campaign, Crayons & Marketers developed the name, distinct visual identity, branded campaign materials, and a multichannel content strategy. Pawster also received tools and guidance to help supporters share the campaign within their own networks, extending its reach beyond the organization’s existing audience.

Result 

Rebranding and refreshing their annual fundraising strategy, combined with a structured social media approach, delivered a measurable impact across both audience engagement and fundraising outcomes. 

Significantly, the 6th Annual Barkday Fundraiser raised $34,599 against a $30,000 goal, marking the highest amount ever raised in the campaign’s history. An even greater marker of the campaign’s success is that Pawster not only met but exceeded its fundraising target amid broader economic uncertainty within the nonprofit sector and beyond.

By untangling two overlapping campaigns and giving its annual birthday fundraiser a clear identity of its own, Pawster was able to reach a broader donor base with a clear message that inspired greater community participation than past campaigns.