"Be Afraid"

As a leading pest control company, covering Canada with more than 25 locations nationwide, Orkin Canada (Orkin) delivers customized, preventative pest control programs for commercial and residential clients. Orkin identified a key need to develop a campaign that spoke to both audiences while pushing their in-market creative beyond the same old approach.

Targeting Commercial Facility Managers, Orkin tapped into the understanding that these individuals have so much on their plate that they would welcome any type of support that alleviates the pressure. Specifically, they would look for support in areas that they aren’t as qualified to address. For residential customers, the creative needed to recognize that dealing with pests and wildlife can be a sensitive subject. So the goal was to connect with the residential audience through a message that was relatable while still being empathetic.

Through work with their creative partners, Orkin landed on the creative communication objective of, “though there are parts of either one’s job or everyday life that can be scary – pests shouldn’t be one of them”. This communication objective took shape in a fun, comedic, and relatable way. It focused on the facility managers within their workspaces and residents within their home feeling anxious or concerned. The message would be anchored to the phrase “Be Afraid Of…” to a range of tasks or obstacles that the individual could address, while being reassured in the knowledge that Orkin will take care of the “pest part” – guaranteed.

The campaign was deployed through several online media tactics, including paid media under the following categories:

- Performance Max enabled Orkin to drive conversions across various Google properties, including Search, Display, YouTube, Discover, and Gmail. This comprehensive advertising solution allows Orkin to effectively target both commercial and residential audiences seeking pest control and wildlife removal services, thereby enhancing engagement and generating leads

- Paid Social Media:Through targeted messaging, engaging content, and precise audience targeting, Orkin can effectively generate leads and expand its customer base

- Reddit's precise audience targeting captured attention and fostered consideration for pest control services within the residential market.