NEWS | PPC105 NOVEMBER 2021
In our new regular feature, we take a look at public relations. BPCA spends lots of time working with the press to educate the public about pest awareness and the importance of using a BPCA member for all pest-related issues.
Summer can mean only one thing on the BPCA PR front – wasps!
We appeared in national and regional newspapers across the country, and this year also focused on farming and gardening titles, as well as glossy magazines and websites.
A feature article in the Federation of Window Cleaners magazine, Window Talk, also helped drive home the message to window cleaners that having a ladder isn’t always enough if you find a well-established wasp nest under the eaves.
Meanwhile, bird proofing stepped up as the ‘misunderstood issue of the year’ for 2021.
Following concerns in South Wales over ‘cruel’ seagull spikes and nets, a BPCA article on bird proofing garnered coverage across the UK.
In it, we explained why bird proofing should be installed properly for welfare reasons, helping to hammer home the message that professionals should be called in if birds are becoming a nuisance.
A press enquiry on ‘Dracula horseflies’ provided us with the classic ‘DRACULA HORSEFLY HORROR FOR BRITS’ headline from the Daily Star.
This proved popular, with BBC stations serving Leeds, Guernsey, Coventry and Warwickshire picking up the story as well as BBC Radio 4, Talk Sport and Talk Radio.
On all these channels we were able to get a measured response on the benefits of using BPCA members and the importance of pest control for public health.
Mosquito deterrence proved a further success in September, with articles in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire helping drive more traffic to the Find a Pest Controller tool, while raising awareness about simple steps such as getting rid of stagnant water.
In the trade press, we targeted titles with specific technical articles including Grain Fumigation for Feed Compounder magazine, Pest Maintenance Cycles for SOFHT Focus – the magazine for the Society of Food Hygiene and Technology, and more wasps in the workplace for Tomorrow’s Cleaning.
As September ended, we issued releases on fleas and cockroaches, with an overview of insect stings and bites as requested by the Derby Telegraph.
We continue to champion the role BPCA members play in keeping everyone safe while steering the conversation about public health pests across the UK press, acting as the go-to organisation for pest control information and advice.
Read all about it!
Spot something in the press? Idea for a press release? Tell us.
hello@bpca.org.uk