LOS ANGELES With the help of regional private companies, independent agency The Miller Group effectively doubled its media budget to increase public awareness of West Nile virus in Southern California.
With Centers for Disease Control experts predicting a major state outbreak this summer, for the first time, the property-tax-funded Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control Board proactively budgeted $500,000 for a six-month campaign, said GLACVCB public information officer Stephanie Miladin.
The Miller Group, Santa Monica, Calif., developed a multi-tiered educational campaign incorporating fliers, two-color print ads, paid radio spots and PSAs, each created in English, Spanish, Cambodian and Vietnamese.
In order “to extend the limited budget as far as possible,” explained agency president and creative director Rene Miller, the shop launched its own search for corporate sponsorships in virus “hotbed” communities—potentially saving thousands of dollars in media buys and reaching a broader area than originally expected. Retailers donated nearly $500,000 in services and placement, said Miller. Cosco, 7-11, Lowe’s, Long’s, Orchard Supply Hardware, Albertsons, Savon and Armstrong Garden Center agreed to display and distribute fliers in their stores, as well as include informative ads in printed promotional materials. The Stater Brothers grocery chain, with 60 stores in designated problem areas, volunteered to cover its printing costs.
“For what we’re paying and the service we’re provided, it’s incredible,” said Miladin, whose vector district covers 34 cities and more than 1,300 square miles, from Santa Clarita to San Pedro. The GLACVCB ‘s “request for information rose tenfold” since the campaign launched at the beginning of June, she said.
While only three SoCal residents were diagnosed with West Nile virus in 2003, there have already been 11 human cases reported this season. The virus, first identified in 1999, is spread to humans and some animals by infected mosquitoes and dead birds. Especially at risk are people with weak immune systems, seniors, small children and residents of areas with an excess of standing water.
Miller Marshals Media to Fight Health Threat
