Social Campaign · Audience Strategy · Nonprofit Design · Short-Form Video

Whinny & Mane Horse Sanctuary

A cross-platform fundraising campaign designed to expand a nonprofit equine rescue beyond its local Facebook audience through emotional photography, mission-focused messaging, static advertising, and short-form video.

Audience Strategy
Social Campaign
Nonprofit Design
Accessibility
Video Storytelling

Whinny and Mane Horse Sanctuary campaign

Project overview

Expanding a local rescue story into a national campaign

Whinny & Mane is a nonprofit equine rescue in Casa Grande, Arizona. Its mission is to provide freedom for unwanted and unadoptable wild horses, prepare younger horses for adoption, and educate the public about wild horses, herd management, and equine refuge.

After a rescue-horse video gained attention on Facebook, the organization wanted to expand its social-media presence, reach a national audience, and increase donations and volunteer involvement.

For this academic project, I developed a cross-platform fundraising campaign using emotional photography, mission-focused messaging, static advertisements, and short-form video.

The challenge

Move beyond a local agricultural audience and inspire action.

Campaign needs

Expand awareness beyond the local area
Introduce the organization nationally
Communicate the sanctuary mission clearly
Encourage donations and volunteering
Adapt the campaign to visual social platforms
Maintain consistency with the existing brand

Why the strategy mattered

Whinny & Mane had an established Facebook presence, but the existing audience was primarily local and connected to farming or agriculture.

The campaign needed to reach people who cared about animal-rescue causes and were more likely to contribute time, money, or ongoing support.

Audience strategy

Designing for people more likely to donate or volunteer

Existing audience

Local and agriculture-connected

The existing audience was generally located within 50 miles of the sanctuary and connected to farming or agriculture.

Many followed the organization online but were less likely to contribute time or money.

Expanded audience

National animal-rescue supporters

The expanded target included college-educated adults across the United States and Canada, ages 35–65, with household incomes beginning around $75,000.

This group was more likely to respond to emotional rescue storytelling and take action through donations or volunteering.

Platform selection

Expanding beyond Facebook with Instagram and TikTok

Instagram

Instagram supports photography, Stories, Reels, and emotionally engaging visual campaigns.

It provides a natural platform for rescue photography, individual horse stories, volunteer content, and fundraising calls to action.

TikTok

TikTok supports short-form storytelling that can introduce individual horses, explain the sanctuary's mission, and expose the organization to viewers beyond its existing audience.

Scheduling + analytics

A social-media scheduling and analytics tool could support regular publishing and allow the organization to compare engagement across platforms.

Brand and accessibility

Keeping the visual identity warm while improving readability

The campaign follows the existing Whinny & Mane visual system through earth-inspired chestnut, blue-gray, palomino, green, and dark-brown colors.

Naturally lit photography, Chaparral Pro typography, and selective Calgary Script headlines support a compassionate and approachable visual style.

Accessibility considerations

Calgary Script should be reserved for larger text because readability decreases at smaller sizes.

Similar earth-toned brand colors require careful placement and contrast when used with text.

These findings influenced typography, text sizing, color placement, and CTA treatments throughout the campaign.

Brand foundation

Explore the Whinny & Mane brand guide

The existing brand guide informed the campaign's color, typography, photography, logo usage, and visual tone. I reviewed these standards before adapting the identity for social-media advertising and short-form video.

Cover

Campaign messaging

Memorable horse-related language paired with direct actions

“Saddle up and provide sanctuary for our equine friends.”

“Be a good ‘neigh’bor and lend a hand.”

“Show us your ‘unbridled’ enthusiasm.”

Donate Today Act Now Click to Give Learn Volunteer Donate

Static advertising

Creating an emotional connection before asking for action

The static campaign uses close, emotionally engaging photographs so viewers connect with the horses before encountering the donation or volunteer request.

Whinny and Mane Facebook fundraising advertisement — Facebook fundraising advertisement using emotional horse photography and direct donation messaging.

Whinny and Mane Instagram campaign advertisement — Instagram campaign design adapted for a visual social-media audience.

TikTok campaign

Turning the fundraising message into a short visual sequence

The TikTok concept expands the static campaign into multiple frames that introduce the sanctuary, explain its mission, and show several ways viewers can help.

Horse and caregiver imagery
Brand colors and typography
Mission-focused statements
Donation and volunteer messaging
Repeated calls to action

Dividing the message across multiple frames allows the campaign to communicate more information without overcrowding one design.

Outcome

A campaign that extends the mission across platforms

The completed campaign extends Whinny & Mane's brand from Facebook into Instagram and TikTok while maintaining a cohesive visual identity.

Emotional imagery, mission-oriented storytelling, memorable equine wordplay, and direct calls to action work together to encourage viewers to donate, volunteer, or learn more.

What I learned

Designing for strategy as well as emotion

Translate audience research into channel recommendations
Design around a nonprofit fundraising goal
Use emotional imagery responsibly
Adapt brand guidelines for accessibility
Create consistency across static and video formats
Turn a detailed mission into concise social messages

Explore another campaign

See how the same campaign-thinking process adapts to a completely different organization.

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