PPC117 | Pests in the press
Over the summer months, BPCA has enjoyed a healthy mix of coverage in print and digitally as well as broadcast appearances on radio and TV.
As June moved into July, planned press releases were paused briefly as unions in Scotland warned of possible bin strikes later in the summer. BPCA were quick to react, advising residents to dispose of waste carefully to avoid attracting pests.
The focus then turned to insect species for the summer, with press releases about mosquitoes, common summer problems with ants, horseflies and house flies, followed up by specific advice around wasps, which reflected the apparent dip in numbers reported this year and how to spot the signs of SPIs.
August also saw a press release reminding holidaymakers to check they had not brought home any hitchhikers in the form of bed bugs on clothes and luggage, followed up with a brief moment in the spotlight for our House of Pests online tool.
BPCA’s position as the voice of authority for the sector is reflected by the media enquiries received weekly from print, online, radio and television journalists and program-makers which over the summer included The Daily Mail, BBC Radio Stoke, BBC Wales Today, BBC Radio 5, and BBC’s Rip Off Britain – many of which resulted in further articles or interviews with our very own Natalie Bungay.
BPCA also worked with sector-specific titles to highlight the importance of professional pest management to decision-makers in the public and private sectors, appearing in Facilities Management Journal, Health Business magazine and Tomorrow’s Cleaning.
If you spot something in the press or have an idea for a press release, get in touch with the team by email: hello@bpca.org.uk
Top 3 headlines
Randy bugs going nuts for cereals - Daily Star (link)
Brits are only just realising what happens when catching a grey squirrel – and it's dark - Mirror (link)
Britain’s pest problem: In places where society fails, vermin flourish - ITVX (link)
Total articles to-date: 2,260
Total circulation 2024: 217,104,766
Stop the presses! BPCA in the media
The press loves a creepy crawly story. We all remember how much bed bug coverage they ran with in October 2023 and that kind of exposure is great for the pest management industry. And the more stories BPCA appears in, the better for our members too.
There are many benefits to your trade association having a media presence, including increased awareness of BPCA members and the importance of using a professional among the public, more traffic to our Find a pest controller tool bpca.org.uk/find and increased knowledge of pests and the damage they can cause.
BPCA spends lots of time working with the press to educate the public about pest awareness and the importance of using BPCA members. We've built and maintained a strong position in national and regional media, as well as in broadcast – and, of course, in more specialist industry magazines.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a news story about pests that BPCA isn’t mentioned in – a reflection of how much influence BPCA and its members have.
Here's a quick infographic with some key facts about BPCA's media work.
