East Bay Municipal Utility District

“Chloramine Water Treatment” Public Awareness Campaign

The objective of this campaign is to inform EBMUD water customers of the chloramine water treatment conversion, and to provide information on how to protect live fish, shellfish or other marine animals kept in tanks, ponds or aquariums.  IMLogo recognized that, in order for the campaign to be successful, the project needed to aggressively and clearly communicate the message to all segments of EBMUD customers that fish owners must be aware and knowledgeable about the impending water treatment change, and the possible danger to their fish. 

There was concern that the outreach program not fall short of the goal of communicating the program message clearly to all segments of the target audience.  This will have jeopardize the effectiveness of the outreach program, and projected a lack of sensitivity on the part of EBMUD towards its non-English speaking customers.  

To aid in clearly alerting the target audience of fish owners of the importance of the conversion, IMLogo participated in a focus group of key individuals who will be affected by the conversion.  With the information collected from the focus group findings, we began the development and implementation of key marketing elements for the public awareness campaign.  These elements consisted of the development of concepts for outdoor advertising, storyboards for multi-language 30-second television spots, multi-lingual ad layout, coordinating website information for the SF Aquarium and Coy Association and the development of a Point of Purchase (POP) campaign which consisted of the development of informational brochure, poster, display holder and placement.

IMLogo worked with EBMUD to develop the storyboards and concepts for a 30-second television spot and translated the message for a multi-language campaign.  The English version of the Chloramine Water Treatment Conversion broadcast ad and newspaper ad was translated into five (5) languages (Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Spanish).  The broadcast and print ad was placed on various local English, Asian, and Spanish language television stations and newspapers during the initial phases of the campaign.

IMLogo created and developed a P.O.P. display, informational brochures and print advertising as a reinforcement mechanism to go with the broadcast ads.  We arranged for placement of the POP displays and brochures at strategic locations throughout EBMUD’s service area.  As a supplement to the list provided by EBMUD, IMLogo identified and solicited the participation of additional key business locations for the campaign. The displays and brochures were placed with a total of 303 neighborhood pet stores, aquariums, garden shops, nurseries, and other retail outlets including hardware and general merchandise stores.

Through this effort, IMLogo was able to solicit the participation of some of the major, high-traffic, retailers in the area, the list includes: Ace Hardware, K Mart, Longs Drugs, Nav-Land,

Navlets Nursery, Orchard Supply Hardware, Payless Drugs, PetCo, Pet Food Express, PetSmart, Thrifty Drugs, and Walgreens.  We also conducted a follow-up survey and solicited feedback to help ensure the effectiveness of the project and to provide an accurate evaluation of the success of the program.

Most merchants who participated in the program expressed their support for the program and said that, in general, the awareness campaign has been well received by the general public.  The use of the display and brochures at strategic locations throughout EBMUD’s service area is viewed as a logical, useful method for expanding awareness of the water treatment change in the EBMUD water customers most effected. IMLogo was able to achieve a 90% participation rate for the POP placement program.

The overall response to the campaign was positive.  An article in the Oakland Tribune states, “I haven’t heard of a single problem,” said Bill Highfield of Danville, founder of the group WATER, which monitors the quality of service provided in the 1.2 million people in Alameda and Contra Costa counties by EBMUD. “I really think EBMUD did a pretty good job with their outreach program.”