In June 2015, the EPA published updated ambient water quality criteria for the protection of human health on 94 chemical pollutants. The West Virginia Department of Energy’s (DEP) Rules Bundle, SB 163, included some of the updated 2015 human health criteria. The DEP was holding public hearings in spring of 2020 and then the WV Senate and House would consider the updated rules bundle in their 2021 legislative session.
Covestro is a global chemical manufacturer committed to sustainability and the circular economy. They are proud of their progressive environmental record. Their outlook and history are not necessarily shared by all in the industry, particularly in West Virginia.
With two plants in West Virginia and attention on the DEP rules bundle addressing new water quality criteria, Covestro sought a targeted digital advocacy campaign to protect their brand.
Fifth Influence planned a campaign using single image and video ads on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. For YouTube specifically, we exploited the efficiency of 6-second “bumper” ads. Geography was limited to a 50-mile radius of each plant and the eastern panhandle of WV. While not in the proximity of Covestro’s operations in the state, the latter was chosen due to its proximity to Washington DC and a concentration of environmental advocacy organization activity.
Creative was produced in collaboration with Covestro’s in-house design studio and optimized for each social media platform.
Over the course of the public hearings, we generated over 1.5MM impressions at a CPM of just $4.62. CPM performance was 50% to 100% better than the AdStage 2019 benchmark for each social media platform.
