d-CON Good Riddance Campaign

Client:             Reckitt Benckiser

Project:           d-CON, Good Riddance to Rodents Campaign

Mission

Established thought leadership for the d-CON brand by partnering with experts to develop a scientific assessment of rodent risk factors and create a list of U.S. cities that are most vulnerable to rodent problems.

Leverage the Rodent Risk Assessment to drive awareness for d-CON’s leadership in pest control, support their positioning as the #1 brand and ensure that d-CON is “top of mind” with consumers during the critical fall timeframe.

Develop an integrated campaign with media relations, public affairs and in-store experiential demos to educate consumers about rodent infestations and offer d-CON products as the solution.

Biggest Challenges

·        Building a creative and media worthy campaign in the relatively unacknowledged category of pest control.

·        Developing thought leadership and exposure for the d-CON brand to entice “rat phobic” reporters to write about rodent infestations.

Winning Strategies

·        Partnered with Dale Kaukeinen and Dr. Bruce Colvin, two highly regarded experts in the field of environmental management and rodent control, to add credibility and create the “Rodent Risk Assessment Report.”

·        Helped develop the study, which analyzed 32 of the largest U.S. cities and ranked them in terms of their risk for rodent infestation, and incorporated factors such as aging infrastructure, population/gentrification, unseasonably warm weather and funding for rodent control.

·        Leveraged the “Rodent Risk Assessment Report” to shed light on the growing rodent problem in the United States and position the d-CON brand as a viable solution. Conducted satellite media tours and media outreach to regional and national outlets.

·        Organized “Good Riddance to Rodents” workshops in four cities mentioned in the Rodent Risk Assessment Report, to educate municipal leaders on rodent risks and effective mitigation strategies. Coordinated in- store educational programs to educate consumers.

Results

·        Garnered 100 million impressions, including print, broadcast and online.

·        Received print coverage in publications such as Reuters, the Boston Globe, the Houston Press, the Associated Press and the New York Times. 

·        Secured local broadcast coverage in NYC, Chicago, El Paso, Houston, and Memphis.

·        Earned coverage in the New York Times City Room blog.