PPMA Board Approves 2015 Media/PR Plan

Orlando, Fla. — The Professional Pest Management Alliance board of directors yesterday approved the budget for the group’s 2015 media/public relations plan.

About 50 people attended the meeting, which was held prior to the opening ceremony for NPMA PestWorld.

PPMA, which serves as the consumer education arm of the National Pest Management Association, this year surpassed 300 investors and had more than $2 million in revenue. “2014 was a very successful year,” said PPMA Executive Director Missy Henriksen.
 
To that end, in 2014, for that $2 million investment in advertising and public relations, PPMA earned $68.9 million in advertising value. Additionally, PPMA had 1,656,039,046 consumer impressions.

PPMA reported its research found 37 percent of homeowners who have a household income of $75,000+ reported using a pest professional in 2014, up from 33 percent in 2013. “That’s not just PPMA,” Henriksen said. “It’s a perfect example of everyone working together — of our collective power. The work that you all are enabling, you are helping grow the industry for all of the other companies that are not at the table.”

Additionally, at last year’s PestWorld, PPMA recruited 21 new investors, bringing the total number of investors to 331 companies.

A lengthy discussion at the board meeting revolved around how PPMA could possibly expand its commercial market focus. “PPMA is exploring to see how it can do the same thing for the commercial market as it has for the residential market,” Henriksen said.

Unlike the residential pest control market, there are many vertical markets on the commercial side of the business (food safety, multi-family housing, hospitals, manufacturing facilities, etc.), so many factors must be taken into consideration when looking at this area.

PPMA has several other initiatives at NPMA PestWorld, including:
•    Wednesday, Oct. 22, 6:00-7:30: PPMA Reception (by invitation only)
•    Thursday, Oct. 23, 4:30-5:30pm: What PMPs Need to Know About Communicating the Threat of Emerging Arthropod-Borne Diseases

Additionally, PPMA has a booth in the exhibit hall (booth 1203), at which representatives will be talking to PestWorld attendees about how PPMA helps “rise the tide for all boats” in the industry.