Forestry's Ad Campaign Aims at Matching Milk's Industry Hopes to Counter Bad Public Image
The Edmonton Journal
September 29, 2000
By Paul Marck, Journal Business Writer
You're going to be hearing a lot about wood.
Soon.
Major solid-wood producers in Canada and the U.S. are embarking on a $45-million US, three-year campaign to promote wood to consumers, in much the same way that the milk-moustache boosted the dairy industry and comparable to the $50-million advertising campaign under way to promote the steel industry.
A lumber industry consortium called the Wood Promotion Network, a network of industry professionals, is developing a comprehensive program to build wood's reputation among the public, after years of environmental groups slamming the forestry industry.
Susan Rogers, former vice-president of public affairs and communications for eastern pulp and paper giant Abitibi Inc., outlined the strategy for members attending the Alberta Forest Products Association annual conference here.
"We have to hit that emotional chord," she said. "It's been used against us so often.
"You can't always come back with science," Rogers said of the thrust of the campaign, aimed squarely at consumers.
Environmental groups have eroded consumer confidence with campaigns, many of them based only partly on fact, to form "guilt associations" between forestry and wood products, she said.
Such campaigns have damaged company reputations, depleted profits and unfairly maligned forestry industries and products they produce, Rogers said.
The Wood Promotion Network campaign will be launched with a series of TV, print ads and media interviews starting in January. There are 85 forestry companies behind the initiative, including Ainsworth, Canfor, West Fraser and Tolko, all of which operate in Alberta.
A sample print ad shows a picture of a forest with a heading telling campers they could enjoy 20 per cent more forests now than in 1970, given the success of replanting campaigns.
The Wood Promotion Network is partnering with Habitat for Humanity in providing wood for homes for the poor, among other initiatives.
It hopes to match the success of the milk moustache campaign. Rogers said a $50,000 milk promotion featuring the last four contestants from the reality TV show Survivors got $250-million worth of media coverage.