'Grab a pussy ... cat' Facebook post could hurt Humane Society, says marketers

Marketing experts in Windsor said a controversial Facebook post by the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society, will likely hurt their business.

The post, which was taken down two hours after it was put online yesterday said "You don't have to be a star to grab a pussycat."

It referenced the comments made by Donald Trump years ago, which recently came to light.

• Trump says 'I was wrong' after 2005 video shows him bragging about groping women

• Windsor humane society pulls down 'grab a pussy ... cat' advertisement

The post might deter possible donors, volunteers, and even adopters, said Katie Stokes, the owner of Blab Media, which helps companies market online. 

"It didn't really shed a good light on them for me, as a consumer or as a potential consumer. So I would look elsewhere to seek out what my other options are before I went there," said Stokes.

The community may be unhappy with the types of values or 'moral compass' the humane society showed by posting the advertisement, and therefore take their business elsewhere, she said.

The president of Douglas Marketing Group in Windsor said the best thing for organizations to do when posting on social media, is to follow an ethical protocol and stay true to what the company stands for.

"You need to look at it against what the mandate of the organization or the company is, because it's really hard to turn things around once they're out in reality," Kay Douglas said.

Both Stokes and Douglas agree the Humane Society should post an apology on Facebook, in order to try to put this controversy behind them.