SPCA Tampa Bay is getting plenty of publicity for its new logo and revamped brand identity. Sadly, the stark contrast between the slick image and the sad reality is being mentioned only by animal advocates, who continually try to make SPCA/TB live up to its promises.
Under the direction of Martha Boden, who nearly destroyed any credibility for the Humane Society of Indianapolis during her tenure as its CEO, one can’t help but wonder what undisclosed sum of donor dollars were paid to a high-profile Tampa advertising agency, ChappellRoberts, to create new branding, a revised website, and a new logo.
The logo, claims Boden, “was the crowning moment of all the brand work”.
No doubt, since it bears a strong resemblance to that of Best Friends Animal Society, an organization that actively supports No Kill and has a sterling reputation. The philosophy of Best Friends is about as different from SPCA/TB’s as the Mars rover is from a grocery cart.
According to an article on TBN Weekly.com, the new brand identity “was developed through a strategic and collaborative process that included research and input sessions with community partners, board members, staff and other stakeholder groups.”
Missing from those stakeholders were the many dedicated volunteers who’ve been let go because their concern for the animals’ welfare didn’t match management’s mission to make money. Also not consulted were citizens such as the woman whose lost cat wound up at SPCA/TB and was there for 10 days before she was notified. Then she was charged $200 to reclaim her pet. If she didn’t pay, she was told, the cat would be killed.
“While we may have a refreshed look, our commitment to providing quality care to all animals remains the same,” says Boden.
If that’s an example of their commitment, it’s a sad day in Tampa Bay.
More on SPCA Tampa Bay can be read here.
Addendum 07/16/15 3:40pm
The lady whose cat found its way to SPCA/TB reminds us of Kim Gastineau’s experience in Indianapolis whose dog was killed at HSI under Ms Boden’s watch, who reportedly told Mr. Gastineau
“We do not want the public to know that we euthanize animals and will not keep documentation or pictures available to the public of the ones we do. We depend on the fees we charge for animals dropped off here and if they knew they were being euthanized people simply would not bring them here.”