Nix the Bunny, Cue the Manatee
When it comes to identifying an animal that goes with Easter, the bunny is the top choice. But if the Save the Manatee Club has its way, Peter Cottontail is going to
take a back seat to the endangered sea mammal.
The Maitland, FL-based nonprofit is launching a new PR campaign dubbed the "Manatee Easter Buddy" which puts a new holiday spin on its venerable Adopt-A-Manatee program. This
program, which debuted in 1984 and is still going quite strong, encourages support of the manatee preservation efforts by having people "adopt" a manatee and receive regular
updates on its progress and activities. The organization is stressing Eastertime manatee adoption as a different approach to the holiday's gifts.
Judith Vallee, the executive director of the Save the Manatee Club, acknowledges the importance of PR to spread the message of maintaining the surviving manatee population,
which is estimated at a mere 3,000 animals living in Florida's waterways. "We have no advertising budget and depend on the media to help us get our message out as a public
service," she says.
The group's newest public service announcements were released in January and are being timed to the "Manatee Easter Buddy" campaign. Vallee notes that diverse media, ranging
from Florida general interest magazines to boating trade monthlies, have generously provided space for the Save the Manatee Club's PSAs over the years. Broadcast PSAs are also an
essential tool and the presence of the organization's co-founder, music legend Jimmy Buffet, helps them get air play.
"Jimmy lends his name to our organization, which is priceless and helps lend credibility to Save the Manatee Club," adds Vallee. "Especially for people who may never have
heard of the Club or manatees."
Contact: Judith Vallee, 407.539.0990