WBFI Bird Industry Growth (BIG): 
Feed the Birds Campaign Guidelines & Toolkit

Review the usage guidelines and download the digital assets to participate.

WBFI Research Foundation

RF Contributors

FEED THE BIRDS

Committee

CAMPAIGN UPDATES IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Download revised post-copy as of 03/16/20.

BIRD INDUSTRY GROWTH (BIG) CAMPAIGN: 
MEDIA ANALYTICS 03/26/20

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CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW

The Wild Bird Feeding Institute’s (WBFI) marketing campaign, “Feed the Birds”, has officially begun. This campaign focuses on the mental health benefits of bird feeding. Several studies prove birds help lower stress, anxiety, and depression. With technology becoming more pervasive, and society’s concern with mental wellness, we think interacting with birds is a natural remedy. 

Our industry is very interconnected. So getting people excited about birds is a victory for everyone. Knowing that, the Big Industry Growth (BIG) committee members and advertising agency Joy Riot, chose to advertise in external outlets, and also provide creative assets to all WBFI members. These efforts will drive consumers to the #FeedtheBirds landing page. There, individuals can find where to purchase bird feeding products and educate themselves on the benefits of bird feeding. 

The photography featured in the campaign assets were provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Overall, the assets include social media ads, digital banners, and videos. Throughout the campaign, the WBFI social platforms will generate a new social post every four days. In addition to the organic posts, the Joy Riot team has purchased digital advertisement space for the WBFI on the following social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Aside from social media exposure, Joy Riot staff have configured #FeedtheBirds banner advertisements and videos to be displayed across the internet. These digitally retargeted advertisements will populate according to our set demographics and behavior.
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The WBFI Membership is encouraged to promote this initiative with enthusiasm to help stimulate consumer interest and build industry-wide excitement. Now that you are logged into the WBFI Member's Area you may follow the steps to participate and download the assets.

The original timeline for the “Feed the Birds” campaign was set from 02/14/20 to 05/13/20. However, the WBFI leadership and Research Foundation Trustees approved an extension until the end of June. During this time Joy Riot will extend the campaign reach into Canada and continue to track the performance.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

The WBFI Membership is encouraged to promote this initiative with enthusiasm to help stimulate consumer interest and build industry-wide excitement.

STEP 1
Review the purpose of the #FeedtheBirds campaign and gain a basic understanding of the following:

• Duration & Timeline
• Focus & Goal
• Assets & Guidelines

STEP 2
Download the assets and usage guidelines along with a social media timeline. (See yellow box to right)
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STEP 3 
Prior to distributing the assets, read the campaign guidelines and develop a plan to share/promote the assets on your company's social media. 

Members will have the option to:
        A.) follow along with the WBFI media timeline
​        B.) develop a custom timeline using the assets any
              time during and after the campaign period

STEP 4 
Share the assets and interact with WBFI on our social media accounts.

NOTE:  We recommend that you include the corresponding post-copy for each asset and include #FeedtheBirds #WBFI. Featuring the post-copy and link to the landing page will help the Joy Riot Agency monitor the traffic that stems from each post to the #FeedtheBirds landing page. 

WBFI RETAIL LISTING UPDATES

WBFI Members have the option to submit data that will be featured on the landing page for the WBFI consumer campaign. This is a way for website visitors to locate online and brick-and-mortar retail stores that are WBFI members and/or sell WBFI member products.

Updates to previous submissions will take place once a month. The deadline for submissions will be the first Friday of each month.

LEARN MORE

HISTORY OF THE BIG PROJECT

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PART ONE

In 2017-18, WBFI launched a major study to understand one BIG question: How do you grow your business and how may we grow the wild bird category overall?  

Through months of extensive study, a well-funded research team set out to tackle these BIG little questions:

• Why has the wild bird category been soft recently?
• Are there generational variables to overcome relative to interest in wild bird feeding?
• How do people progress in the hobby throughout their life and changing lifestyles?
• What motivates consumers in different target groups to participate and buy our products and services?

WBFI understands that members need this information to position their companies for continued growth. Therefore, a new committee was created, the Bird Industry Growth (BIG) Committee. Tasked with developing strategies to facilitate category growth by better understanding what motivates our target consumer segments, what messages do people respond positively to, and what are the barriers to participation.

Through member-pledged funding, the most comprehensive study to date on consumer habits related to the industry was produced. The full report including the information you see below is available to members only.
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Market Research

Need help with access? 
​E-mail  [email protected]

PART TWO

After gathering an excellent range of market data from the work of the BIG Project. The BIG Project Committee merged with the Marketing Committee and added a few more industry experts to create the Next BIG Steps Project-Task Force. This working group is taking on a three-year marketing initiative to implement targeted strategies that will move the needle in consumer purchasing behaviors.

​In June 2019 the WBFI engaged in a formal agreement with top marketing firm Joy Riot, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to develop and launch this member-funded marketing campaign.

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WBFI MEMBER UPDATES

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BIG campaign has begun it's fall campaign! See all the new downloadable assets here!
​Ends: December 15, 2020

TIMELINE

START: 09/14/20         
END: ​12/15/20
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​Until December 15th, all posts have been scheduled on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, spread out along the three-month period (approx. every 4 days). Posts have been coordinated across platforms to post on the same day, but not necessarily at the same time. 

Members will have the option to follow the WBFI posting schedule or share the assets of their choice at any time during and after the campaign period.

FOCUS & GOAL

The goal is to build awareness for the WBFI and increase bird food/related product purchases.
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The focus of the campaign is on the mental health benefits of bird feeding. Several studies prove birds help lower stress, anxiety, and depression. With tech becoming more pervasive, and society’s concern with mental wellness, we think interacting with birds is a natural remedy.

ASSET OVERVIEW

 The campaign assets include:

• 20 Social Media GIFs
• 4 Digital Banners
• 14 Videos

Each asset has corresponding post-copy that will lead to the #FeedtheBirds landing page. This features information for consumers to purchase bird feeding products and educate themselves on the benefits of bird feeding.

FIND-A-RETAILER

WBFI Members can submit their retailer data to be featured in the Find-A-Retailer widget. ​

Updates to previous submissions will take place once a month. The deadline for submissions will be the first Friday of each month.

LEARN MORE

DOWNLOAD TOOLKIT

Marketing Campaign Guidelines

Guidelines

Editorial Calendar

Calendar

Banners

Banners

Videos

Videos I

Videos II

VOLUNTARY MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS

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Members of the WBFI have the option to voluntarily contribute to the WBFI Research Foundation (RF). When it's time to renew membership with the WBFI, you will see a voluntary line item, which is 25% of your dues amount.

We appreciate those who were able to contribute to the initiative in 2019-2020.

2019-2020 RF Contributors

CAMPAIGN PARTNERS

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