COLUMBUS, OH: Northlich Communications has nabbed Ohio's teen
anti-smoking campaign, a four-year assignment likely to spend $2
million on PR.
The overall integrated marketing effort will spend $50 million
over its first four years.
Northlich is working with The Nixon Group for grassroots efforts and the
Center for Urban Progress, a Columbus community relations and ethnic
markets specialist firm. Northlich will also handle advertising and
marketing.
The RFP asked for an ad agency that could oversee PR and grassroots
marketing.
Twelve proposals - several from groups of ad and PR shops - were
received in late October. Three finalists were selected by an evaluation
committee of the Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Foundation, the
eight-month-old Ohio quasi-governmental agency funded by tobacco
settlement money that will direct state anti-smoking efforts.
The other finalists were SBC Advertising of Columbus, and Wyse
Advertising of Cleveland, said Susan Jagers, interim assistant director
of the foundation.
Golin/Harris and Porter Novelli were reportedly among the early
contenders.
Northlich nabbed the contract thanks to its past experience in social
marketing. It's worked on such projects as the Crest toothpaste school
program and other teen health issues, said Rick Miller, a Northlich
EVP.
While details of what Northlich is planning are still being finalized,
Miller said the firm will look to successful teen smoking prevention
programs in other states.
