PPMA Unveils Consumer Attitude and Usage Study

Fairfax, Va. — The Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA) recently unveiled a new Consumer Attitude and Usage Study on the professional pest control industry. The study, fully funded by PPMA provided detailed information on general concerns regarding the presence of pests in and around the home; attitudes towards pests and pest control companies; decisions regarding usage of professional pest control services; their views on do-it-yourself pest control and much more. This is the first industry-wide study where users and non-users of our services participated. 

Some key findings included: 

• Pest control is largely perceived as providing a valuable service even among non users
• More than half of homeowners and a vast majority of users agree pest control services protects their home and property
• Almost half of homeowners agree that pest control protects their family’s health
   

Libby Mapes, vice president of International Communications Research (ICR), presented highlights of the study, which was conducted in November, at the PPMA Board of Directors meeting on Sunday, Feb. 26, preceding the kick-off of NPMA Legislative Day. For more information about the study, contact Cindy Mannes, executive director of PPMA at cmannes@pestworld.org.

PPMA also previewed its new 15- and 30-second television public service announcements (PSAs), which continue to promote the important role the pest management industry plays in “protecting health and property,” according to Mannes, highlighting the problems caused by bed bugs, cockroaches, termites and ticks. A 30- and 60-second radio PSA also was previewed, which will be distributed to more than 3,500 radio stations across the country in early March.