USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS): African Swine Fever

Situation / Challenge

In 2021, APHIS confirmed an African Swine Fever (ASF) in pigs in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Although not a threat to humans, ASF would devastate the U.S. economy and livestock industries if it were detected in the country. APHIS needed a compelling and captivating message to encourage international travelers not to pack pork.

Approach

Sage presented a concept that explored a light-hearted approach and vibrant colors to grab the attention of busy travelers passing through one airport terminal to the next. The creative played off the common phrase, “When pigs fly,” with a message that simply stated, “Pigs don’t fly … let’s keep it that way.” The creative narrative centered around a pig setting off detectors while going through airport security. While Sage recognized the magnitude of this message, we were also mindful of the potential element of fear. Our concept highlighted the important call to action, while creating a fun opportunity to reach and educate travelers of all ages. Sage designed the creative for a variety of digital and out-of-home ads targeting travelers in major airports such as Chicago O’Hare and New York JFK.   

To inform the earned media campaign, we conducted in-depth interviews with nine APHIS and CBP officials for on-the-ground situational awareness. Sage pursued interviews and contributed content opportunities for Puerto Rican, U.S. Virgin Islands, and U.S.-based media with a Caribbean focus / audience. Despite an absence of news, we were able to generate coverage on the agricultural and economic impact of ASF, spring / summer travel safety, and Puerto Rico’s “Pork Highway.”

Results

As of February 2024, the campaign has generated over 270 million impressions and over one million clicks. Sage’s creative efforts also resulted in a 2023 Platinum Hermes Creative Award and 2022 Platinum MarCom Award. The earned media campaign secured nine media features in influential print, online, and radio English and Spanish-language outlets targeting the local population, and generated 49,562 potential impressions.