Crosby Marketing Communications and CarrotNewYork have emerged from an RFP process to take a U.S. Department of Agriculture campaign on invasive pests national.
The two firms are charged with expanding the reach of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's "Hungry Pests" public service campaign from its initial scope in California to 12 states to urge people to change behaviors that contribute to the spread of pests.
The work includes PSAs, publicity, social media and online engagement strategies targeting consumers, businesses and specialized audiences like gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts
The states -- Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington, in addition to California -- are idenfitied as the most at-risk for the introduction or spread of invasive pests that threaten agriculture, forests and other natural resources.
Annapolis, Md.-based Crosby has worked with the APHIS on invasive species projects in the past.
CarrotNewYork, the former JMH Education, specializes in community and education programs.