It takes over $50,000 to train one guide dog, with all funds coming from donations. But in the tough economic times of 2025, fundraising was facing its worst challenge, and people were holding on to their money.
So we went hyper-targeted with the people who were most likely to truly empathise with the cause - dog owners. Then we grabbed something they already used - doggy poop bags - and rebranded them as a donation mechanism.
They bought them anyway - why not help other dogs out while they’re at it?
Targeted outdoor was placed along well-known dog walking areas, with a simple QR code to make purchase simple and easy. We also targeted vets, turning clinics into point of purchase, and well-known dog lover influencers promoted the bags on their own channels.
Blind Low Vision NZ is now working for it to be an always-on revenue fundraising stream, with nearly half the stock sold after one week.
