Taking a page from the pharmaceutical industry's handbook on its "ask your doctor" approach to marketing products directly to consumers, the professional pest control industry began to encourage homeowners to take an active role in selecting the services and products used to protect their homes against termite damage. BASF-The Chemical Company, the industry leader and manufacturer of Termidor, America's #1 termite defense product, asked Vault to develop a consumer public relations program that would eclipse the competition in terms of reach, originality and effectiveness.
Looking to put a new spin on the typical termite news story, Vault launched a mobile marketing campaign - dubbed the Towering Termite Tour - to raise awareness among homeowners and the consumer media of the damage caused by termites, as well as the importance of using professional pest control in protecting homes from these pests. The 42-city tour featured the world's largest inflatable termite filled with interactive, educational exhibits for kids and their parents. Vault executed the tour with a detailed week-by-week schedule, including the coordination of exhibit design and construction, distribution of media materials and local/national promotion of the tour.
The Towering Termite Tour garnered both local and national media attention to the tune of approximately 150 million impressions over a two-year period, including coverage by FOX News Channel, National Public Radio, The Washington Post, dozens of local television broadcasts and morning shows, and dozens of daily newspapers. This success, combined with unprecedented advertising, generated brand awareness and demand for Termidor -- and led BASF to a banner two-year stretch in product sales.