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Orkin to roll out new marketing campaign with giant rats, termites

By Jeremiah Mcwilliams
March 4, 2011

Atlanta-based pest control company Orkin is hoping a new marketing push will strike the right balance between creepiness and humor.

It definitely has the creepy part down.

Extending its critter-themed "Big Bug" marketing campaign, Orkin will introduce new television ads featuring giant rats and termites. The ads were created by The Richards Group of Dallas, the branding agency behind the Chick-fil-A cows.

"We introduced rats to the campaign to increase awareness of Orkin's effective treatment against rodents, and the termite was chosen for the ‘Blind Date' spot because they are the sneakiest of all pests," said Kevin Smith, chief marketing officer for Orkin.

The first spot, "Blind Date," features a young woman waiting to meet her date, arranged by an Internet dating service. Her date is a giant termite intent on going home with her. In the second spot, "Vacation," a family returns from a trip to find that two 6-foot rats have taken over their house.

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