Problem analysis

1. Zeehondencrèche Pieterburen
Problem analysis.
Pro bono campaign Zeehondencrèche Pieterburen
OMG Groningen

2. Problem:
• The Zeehondencreche Pieterburen is dependent on gifts
donations and income from visitors. Over the last couple of
years donations and gifts have been very low due to the
economic recession and the number of seals, sick or
stranded have been high, this has resulted in a negative
bank balance for the Zeehondencreche
Visitors:
• The number of visitors for the Zeehondencreche was 80.000
over 2015 of which 65.000 were paying customers. This
mend that the income from visitors had risen with about
10% compared to the year before. This still was 1% less than
was accounted for in the budget meaning a gap of €4.773,-
as seen in figure 1.
Figure 1, income entry fees (zeehondencentrum.nl, 2015)

3. The income from funds
however were lower than expected and even lower
than the previous year. With donations being +- 20%
lower and heritages being awarded to ZHCP being 60%
lower than 2014 in total income from funds were about
40% lower than the year before and 25% lower than
expected. Leaving a budget gap of €431.181 as seen in
figure 2.
Figure 2, income from funds. (zeehondencentrum.nl, 2015)

4. Gift shop:
Sales from the gift shop were 27% lower than 2014 and where
47% lower than expected leaving a gap in the budget of €46.063
as seen in figure
Figure 3, sales gift shop.(zeehondencentrum.nl, 2015)

5. Budget gap:
In total a budget gap of €482.017,- taking
account of the last 3 income figures.
By far the biggest gap comes forth out of the
donations Zeehondencreche Pieterburen
receives.
Being € 1.378.593 at its peak in 2012. the last
sales figures show only €693.841 for 2015. A
decline of 50% in income out of donations as
illustrated in graph 1.

6. What happened?
To investigate what happened in the period that may have caused this decline in donation income.
• 2012 - Stop of broadcasting on national tv of commercial “it’s a beautiful day” Big Hit! (YouTube, 2012)
• 2013 - Up until 2013 the Zeehondenchreche Pieterburen was called Lenie ‘t Hart zeehondenchreche
Pieterburen and had a name recognition of 98% in Holland. After an internal conflict Lenie ‘t Hart was
forced out of the board of the seal care facility. (leniethart.nl, 2014)
• 2013 - start of new tv commercial “love of my life” Less published. (YouTube, 2014)
• 2014 - Lenie ‘t hart starts her own fund

7. The smart marketing problem for Zeehondencreche Pieterburen is:
• The decline of income out of donations over the last 3 financial years.
Sub problems:
• The internal struggle during 2013/2014 with the leaving of Lenie ‘t Hart as a result has impacted on
donations
• the tv commercial used to gain 98% market awareness was cancelled and replaced by a new commercial
which was not that successful and broadcasted less.
• The competition in seal rescue centres is growing, the seal rescue centre in Pieterburen handled
approximately 600 seals annually, in 2015 this was 300.