Multifaceted PR Campaigns Grow on Trees

PR Week gave its "Public Affairs Campaign of the Year 2007" award to the Porter Novelli firm and the Abundant Forests Alliance, a front group for the "wood and paper products industry." The campaign was launched in response to "environmental activist" efforts to "change the foresting industry's procurement practices." The campaign's goal was to convince "college-educated women ages 35 to 54 with children" that the logging industry is "encouraging recycling and other environmentally responsible practices." The $10 million "multifaceted campaign" included a children's book by The Rolling Stones' Chuck Leavell titled, "The Tree Farmer," a television satellite media tour, Earth Day and Arbor Day events, and "environmental grant programs" in Dallas and Los Angeles, developed in conjunction with Project Learning Tree. In addition, "lifestyle expert" Katie Brown and "paper artist" Lynette Young promoted "the use of wood and paper in homemade gifts," including through "scrapbooking demonstrations at 500 Wal-Marts around the country."