Each initiative we undertake as the advocate for the professional pest control industry is aimed at elevating the crucial work you do each and every day to make our lives safer.
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Stakeholder, There’s no question that 2020 was a trying year. We faced situations both professionally and personally that not only challenged our resolve but tested our resiliency as well. In a year that shuttered many businesses, the true necessity of professional pest control was fully realized, and, as always, our industry rose to the occasion. Deemed an Essential Service amid the COVID-19 pandemic by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for its vital role in protecting public health, the professional pest control industry was in need of a unifying voice to help communicate its designation to consumers, and the Professional Pest Management Alliance met that challenge headon. Our mission is, and always has been, to grow, promote, protect and defend the professional pest control industry to both residential and commercial audiences, and this report is just a snapshot of all the ways your PPMA has been hard at work on your behalf throughout 2020 to do that, and more. At the onset of the pandemic, misinformation spread like wildfire about how the disease was transmitted, with many worrying pests like mosquitoes and ticks were capable of passing it to humans. PPMA quickly and nimbly seized that momentum and used it as an opportunity to educate the public and alleviate concerns while simultaneously underscoring the actual dangers associated with vector pests and the importance of professional pest control. When social distancing began to drastically affect rodent behaviors, PPMA stepped in as the credible voice on behalf of the industry, inserting our messaging and industry experts into the conversation and catapulting professional pest control into the limelight. But that didn’t stop us from delivering our triedand-true, high-impact campaigns as well. Despite the ongoing pandemic, PPMA released three new campaigns featuring our metal ant nest cast, never-
before-seen bed bug activity and our Rodents Revealed microsite and video series. Combined, these projects garnered a staggering 20.5+ million impressions and 694,000+ video views, emphasizing the threats these pests can pose to our health and home, and the importance of working with a professional if an infestation is suspected. On the media relations front, our efforts secured over 1,850 consumer print, online and broadcast media placements in 2020 worth 456 million impressions. On social media, our platforms generated over 9.1 million organic social media impressions thanks to our custom content, strategic posting and impactful advertising — that’s a 52% increase YoY! And our websites have never looked better with fresh new homepage designs implemented on PestWorld.org and PestWorldForKids.org, helping to contribute to our best year in site history for both properties at 8.23+ million total sessions for PestWorld.org and 773k+ for PestWorldForKids.org. Each initiative we undertake as the advocate for the professional pest control industry is aimed at elevating the crucial work you do each and every day to make our lives safer, and we couldn’t do it without your support. To our dedicated pest management companies and suppliers, I say thank you. Your generosity helps fuel PPMA’s momentum, enabling us to shape public perception of professional pest control, growing the market in return. These are your successes and we couldn’t be prouder of what we are accomplishing together. Best,
Cindy Mannes Executive Director, PPMA