The American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA), the representative
body for US timber producers, is investing in a pan-European PR drive to
raise awareness of its sustainable growing methods.
The organisation has handed Leeds-based agency Milner Communications a
three-year contract to execute the campaign, which will also promote the
benefits of choosing American wood.
Milner has been briefed to target ‘end users’ like architects and
furniture makers in the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Spain and
Italy, via industry titles like Building Design and Architects Journal.
It is also planning to launch a second-phase campaign aimed at retailers
and consumers promoting the versatility and range of US wood.
‘There has been a lot of negative publicity on the timber industry,’
said Milner chairman Brian Milner. ‘We are trying to inform people of
the vast resource in North American which is being well managed.’
Milner lost the account for AF&PA subsidiary the American Hardwood
Export Council last year (PR Week, 7 July 1995).
Aside from winning the AF&PA contract, the agency was also hired last
month on a three-year contract for another part of AF&PA: the American
Softwoods industry.
AF&PA also represents the Southern Pine Council, Western Wood Products
Association and APA - the Engineering Wood Assoc-iation.
Reforestation in the US outweighs harvest and losses to disease by 33
per cent, with over four million new trees being planted every day -
equivalent to more than five new trees each year for every US citizen.
