With a history of providing cause-based clients and non-profit groups with effective last-minute support, Advocacy Marketing Partners (AMP) was brought in just days before a zoning board vote in rural Indiana. The case involved a petitioner who sought approval for a confined animal feeding operation (CAFO).
With under 10 days to act and only $3,000 to spend, AMP launched a rapid-response digital campaign that mobilized an entire community. The result: 400 residents showed up in person, hundreds more joined online, and the zoning board declined to give the rezoning a green light.
This case shows how speed, strategy, and precision targeting can turn limited resources into a decisive community victory.
The Problem
A last-minute zoning battle erupted in a rural community outside Fort Wayne, Indiana. The petitioner wanted to rezone two parcels of farmland to support a CAFO. This move that threatened:
- Lower property values
- Public health and safety concerns
- Disruption to the rural character of the neighborhood
AMP faced a daunting challenge:
- Time: Less than 10 days before the zoning board vote
- Budget: Only $3,000 to spend
The Goal
AMP’s mission was straightforward but ambitious:
- Mobilize at least 100 residents to attend or watch the zoning meeting
- Create visible, undeniable public opposition to the rezoning
- Deliver a win for the community despite tight timelines and resources
The Strategy
We knew the petitioner wasn’t prepared for a fight — and neither was the council. That gave us an opening to organize and amplify community voices quickly.
Key elements:
- Rapid Deployment – Built a campaign website, designed creative ads, and published a Facebook page within days to serve as the hub for updates, petitions, and sign-ups.
- Target the Right Audience – Geofenced the surrounding area, and targeted a specific cross-section of residents: animal lovers, environmental advocates, property owners, and families.
- Keep It Non-Political – Messaging was simple: attend the meeting and voice your opinion. We let the community take it from there.
- Leverage Debate to Drive Engagement – Our Facebook ads and posts became the spark for heated discussion. Organic comments, shares, and debates amplified reach and gave residents ownership of the issue.
- Mobilize Quickly – Email follow-ups and reminders turned passive petition signers into active meeting participants.
The Details & Execution
- Website & Social Media – Centralized hub for petitions and updates.
- Programmatic Display Ads – $1,000 invested in local sites for awareness.
- Facebook Ads – $2,000 spent on a 7-day blitz, optimized for reach and engagement.
- Petition & Email Capture – Signatures fueled our follow-up email reminders.
- Community Debate – Facebook comment sections became an unexpected engine for persuasion and mobilization.
The Results
The campaign not only met expectations, it overwhelmed the opposition.
- 110,000+ impressions on Facebook in 7 days
- 2,500+ petition signatures in a small rural community
- 400 residents attended the zoning board meeting, with overflow rooms filled
- 150+ livestream viewers joined on YouTube
- 20+ speakers voiced opposition at the meeting
Outcome: The petitioner and zoning board were caught completely off guard by the wave of community opposition, which was generated in just over a week.
Ultimately, the zoning board voted against recommending the CAFO project for approval and it was eventually killed by the county commission.
Conclusion & Key Takeaways
Arena Mail+Digital turned a 10-day, $3,000 scramble into a decisive community victory.
Lessons learned:
- Speed Wins. Deploying digital marketing assets quickly gave us control of the narrative before the petitioner even realized there was one.
- Keep It Simple. A straightforward call to action — “attend the meeting and voice your opinion” — was more powerful than overcomplicated messaging.
- Let the Community Lead. By sparking debate online, residents carried the message further than ads alone ever could.
- Small Budgets Can Deliver Big Wins. With precise targeting and the right plan, even limited resources can mobilize hundreds of residents and change the outcome of a vote.
Work with the Advocacy Marketing Experts
AMP was called in to save the day — and that’s exactly what we did. Contact AMP today and learn how we can help your cause-based group mobilize constituents and engage opinion leaders, elected officials and policymakers to affect positive change.