Making The "Dream" Of A National Ad Campaign A Reality

The NPCA can be justifiably proud of the critical role it has played in keeping PCOs informed about the ongoing FTC investigation of the pest control industry. The single-topic newsletter it published earlier this year was widely distributed and reproduced in several state newsletters throughout the country, and the video update featuring NPCA representatives Rob Lederer and Bob Rosenberg was both credible and highly professional. In combination, they have proven to be an excellent short-term response to the crisis.

On a more long-term basis, the NPCA’s decision to add a crisis management component to its three-phase industry awareness initiative is a sound strategy for dealing pro-actively with the FTC issue. Other elements of the program — which is being spearheaded by the NPCA’s Industry Awareness Council (IAC) — include a consumer market research component and a national advertising campaign designed to reshape public attitudes about the industry and grow the market for professional pest control services.

The IAC is an important new organization that has the potential to change the way the industry is perceived by millions of Americans, but it wouldn’t have happened without the vision of Larry Treleven of W.B. Sprague & Co., Keelan Pulliam of Zeneca Professional Products, Harvey Massey of Massey Services, and Rob Lederer of the NPCA.

Treleven has been a longtime proponent of a national advertising campaign modeled after those initiated by the beef and milk industries, and he attempted to get such a program off the ground during his term as NPCA president. Ultimately, Treleven was unsuccessful in his quest, but he has remained committed to the concept.

The dream of an Industry Awareness Council with the mandate to produce a national ad campaign promoting the benefits of structural pest control remained just that, a dream, until Keelan Pulliam of Zeneca picked up the mantle of leadership and resuscitated the concept at last year’s Business Strategies 2000 Conference, co-sponsored by PCT maga-zine and Zeneca. It was at that meeting held in Williamsburg, Va., last May that 60 prominent PCOs ageed that growing the market for professional pest control services would require a broad-based public relations/public education campaign.

Following a series of workshops where three separate groups of PCOs essentially came to the same conclusion, Pulliam challenged those in attendance, as well as the NPCA, to make the dream of a national advertising campaign and PR initiative a reality. To Rob Lederer and the association’s credit, the NPCA took immediate steps to establish the IAC. Their decision to name Harvey Massey to chair the fledgling organization was a stroke of genius. Massey is arguably the industry’s most charismatic leader, combining a “can-do” attitude with a deep understanding of — and appreciation for — the critical role the media plays in shaping public opinion.

While the NPCA has a long way to go to make a national advertising campaign a reality, the formation of the Industry Awareness Council is the first concrete step to achieving this important industry goal.

Obviously, the multi-million-dollar price tag that accompanies such an effort is a bit daunting, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility if the Council is able to effectively marshall the forces of the three key players in the industry — PCOs, basic manufacturers and industry product suppliers.

Some people fail to act because they fear failure, choosing instead to play it safe and sit on the sidelines. Others treat failure as an adversary to be defeated, reveling in the battle regardless of the outcome.

Harvey Massey understands this “warrior” mentality, as does Keelan Pulliam and Rob Lederer.

It’s why they’re successful. It’s why they’re industry leaders. It’s also why they deserve your financial support. To contribute to the industry awareness campaign, send your donation to: Industry Awareness Council, c/o NPCA, P.O. Box 487, Dunn Loring, VA 22027.