Biosecurity For The Birds
Multicultural Educational Outreach
Issues/Challenges
Millions of U.S. birds are at risk of contracting avian influenza (AI) and exotic Newcastle disease (END). An outbreak could be devastating to the poultry industry, costing the U.S. economy millions of dollars. While USDA has good communication conduits for the large chicken producers, it does not have a comparable system in place for reaching millions of individuals with backyard flocks. Lindberg Group was challenged with the pressing interest of engaging these individuals and providing them with information on how to protect their flocks and report sick birds in order to prevent a pandemic.
Strategies
- S/L Partners’ strategic identification of potential audiences, including small chicken ranchers, pet owners, and exotic bird lovers
- Conducting a survey of these audiences and identifying the primary media outlets for these groups
- Developing a national advertising and outreach campaign, using in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese outlets and materials, and combining it with an aggressive “free media” or public relations outreach program
Activities
- Development of a research vehicle, and thereafter a strategic media and advertising campaign in order to leverage existing organizations that have contact with the target audiences—these organizations include bird clubs, the Catholic Church, American Bankers Association, and Future Farmers of America
- Use our $1.7 million dollar advertising campaign to target rural electric newsletters and minority newspapers, along with web-based advertising
- Utilize a paid public service campaign in print, radio and TV
- Create an outreach program and materials to promote Biosecurity at state fairs using the reach of the Future Farmers of America to staff the information booths
Results
Through strong vendor negotiations, Lindberg Group saved APHIS just over 10 percent of its initial advertising budget that was reapplied to expand the outreach. A national survey showed the program had reached 62 percent of its target audience in six months. Activities are ongoing, but the progress to date has been well received by APHIS and the program has been expanded to take advantage of new media opportunities for the advertising and outreach campaign.
Lindberg Group knows the importance of using several mediums and methods to successfully reinforce a message to target audiences. That’s why we created the following multilingual tools for backyard bird owners: