Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue had a problem most animal rescues face: their events were growing fast, but their marketing materials weren’t keeping up. After years of working with designers who simply didn’t understand draft horses or their brand, they needed a creative partner who could capture the power and grace of their rescue work while driving real event success.
Create an illustration-driven poster and merchandise line that would elevate Gentle Giants’ Fall Fest presence, attract younger supporters, and generate revenue to support their rescue mission. The designs needed to honor their beloved horses (especially fan-favorite Phantom) while maintaining the authentic, heartfelt spirit their community loves.
Here’s what made the difference: we actually understood what previous designers had missed. Draft horses aren’t just big horses. Their proportions, movement, and presence require specific expertise to capture authentically.
Through close collaboration and reference photo reviews, we created custom illustrations that celebrated the unique characteristics of draft breeds, getting details like Phantom’s features exactly right. The client welcomed our feedback process, even the nitpicky parts, because we were finally speaking the same language about their horses.
The result? Before the event even started, supporters were flooding their inbox asking, “Is that going to be on a shirt?”
The Fall Fest poster became the centerpiece of a complete marketing campaign. The illustrated design (featuring the rescue’s signature horses in action) rolled out across event posters, road signage, social media ads, and promotional materials.
This cohesive visual approach created immediate buzz. Social media engagement spiked. The elevated design aesthetic helped position Gentle Giants as a professional, growth-stage nonprofit worthy of serious support.
We designed a full merchandise line including t-shirts and bandanas that supporters actually wanted to wear beyond the event. The key was moving past “just logo and color” approaches to create illustration-driven pieces people were genuinely excited about.
This transformed merchandise buyers into walking brand ambassadors. As the client put it: “People have paid to be your influencers.”
50% Attendance Increase: Fall Fest attendance jumped from 4,000 (2024) to 6,000 (2025)
Sell-Out Success: Far exceeding expectations and directly funding rescue operations. T-shirts nearly sold out at the event, with remaining inventory expected to sell out quickly online
Expanded Reach: The elevated design attracted younger supporters who are building long-term relationships with the organization
AI Can’t Do This: When asked about using AI instead, the client was clear: “AI can’t draw a horse. I’ve never gotten one with two eyeballs, two ears, and four legs.”
How can Dyno Creative help you with your Project?
Let’s collaborate! Dyno Creative is ready to bring your vision to life with a blend of creativity and illustration-focused innovation. Reach out to us – let’s create something special together!
“We came to Dyno Creative after multiple negative experiences with designers who would send things back so off base it wasn’t worth moving forward. You wouldn’t believe how difficult it is to find someone who actually gets draft horses. But Dyno Creative got it right from the start. The designs blew up on social, emails came in constantly with people demanding the shirt, and we went from 4,000 to 6,000 attendees. We sold so much merch at Fall Fest. Now we have people all over wearing our t-shirts and talking about Gentle Giants. You can’t measure that kind of brand recognition. We really like you folks, so we’re not going away.”
Director of Growth, Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue
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