Zeehondencrèche PieterburenProblem analysis.

Pro bono campaign Zeehondencrèche Pieterburen

OMG Groningen

Problem:• The Zeehondencreche Pieterburen is dependent on gifts

donations and income from visitors. Over the last couple of years donations and gifts have been very low due to the economic recession and the number of seals, sick or stranded have been high, this has resulted in a negative bank balance for the Zeehondencreche

Visitors:• The number of visitors for the Zeehondencreche was 80.000

over 2015 of which 65.000 were paying customers. This mend that the income from visitors had risen with about 10% compared to the year before. This still was 1% less than was accounted for in the budget meaning a gap of €4.773,- as seen in figure 1.

Figure 1, income entry fees (zeehondencentrum.nl, 2015)

The income from funds however were lower than expected and even lower than the previous year. With donations being +- 20% lower and heritages being awarded to ZHCP being 60% lower than 2014 in total income from funds were about 40% lower than the year before and 25% lower than expected. Leaving a budget gap of €431.181 as seen in figure 2.

Figure 2, income from funds. (zeehondencentrum.nl, 2015)

Gift shop:Sales from the gift shop were 27% lower than 2014 and where 47% lower than expected leaving a gap in the budget of €46.063 as seen in figure

Figure 3, sales gift shop.(zeehondencentrum.nl, 2015)

Budget gap:In total a budget gap of €482.017,- taking account of the last 3 income figures.

By far the biggest gap comes forth out of the donations Zeehondencreche Pieterburen receives. Being € 1.378.593 at its peak in 2012. the last sales figures show only €693.841 for 2015. A decline of 50% in income out of donations as illustrated in graph 1.

What happened? To investigate what happened in the period that may have caused this decline in donation income.• 2012 - Stop of broadcasting on national tv of commercial “it’s a beautiful day” Big Hit! (YouTube, 2012)• 2013 - Up until 2013 the Zeehondenchreche Pieterburen was called Lenie ‘t Hart zeehondenchreche

Pieterburen and had a name recognition of 98% in Holland. After an internal conflict Lenie ‘t Hart was forced out of the board of the seal care facility. (leniethart.nl, 2014)

• 2013 - start of new tv commercial “love of my life” Less published. (YouTube, 2014)• 2014 - Lenie ‘t hart starts her own fund

The smart marketing problem for Zeehondencreche Pieterburen is:• The decline of income out of donations over the last 3 financial years.

Sub problems:• The internal struggle during 2013/2014 with the leaving of Lenie ‘t Hart as a result has impacted on

donations• the tv commercial used to gain 98% market awareness was cancelled and replaced by a new commercial

which was not that successful and broadcasted less.• The competition in seal rescue centres is growing, the seal rescue centre in Pieterburen handled

approximately 600 seals annually, in 2015 this was 300.