Wants a Shop to Burnish Industry's Image
CHICAGO--A wide-ranging coalition of wood product companies and industry associations is contacting advertising and public relations agencies about an image campaign.
The consortium includes the American Paper Association/Engineered Wood Association; the Canadian Wood Council; the American Forest and Paper Association; and several private lumber companies, including Weyerhaeuser Co. It sent proposal requests to 15-20 agencies in the East, West and Midwest earlier this month. At least three shops took a pass.
The review consultant, Bruce Anderson of Earnscliffe Research and Communications, Ottawa, Canada, could not be reached.
The coalition will likely cut its list to five ad agencies and three or four PR firms before scheduling presentations in January, sources said. Billings are estimated at $10 million, although that could include both ad and PR duties, sources said.
The assignment, which is expected to include media duties, is to promote wood and wood-related products, sources said. The association apparently wants to improve the industry's image and outline how integral wood is to people's lives.
One source said the goal is to produce something along the lines of the California Milk Processor Board's "Got milk?" campaign from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.
The industry is no stranger to protests over its practices. Just last week, a federal judge ordered a U.S. trade representative to add environmental activists to forestry and paper product advisory committees. --with Angela Dawso