Event Promotional Package

The Henrico Bug Bizarre! was an integrated program that incorporated youth, entomology and many partners.  Sixteen different partners provided 26 exhibits in a three-hour entomological themed outreach/literacy program.  Nine exhibits had live insects for attendees to not only observe, but to touch and handle.  An additional five exhibits had mounted or preserved insects on display. Since this was a new programming effort, the agent developed an extensive marketing campaign to drive participation in the event.  The marketing campaign started with the creation of a logo to be used on all marketing material.  The agent consulted with a graphic designer in the Henrico County Public Relations department who created the final logo design for the event.  Traditional marketing pieces included press releases to local media outlets, inclusion in the agent’s newsletters, a banner, and flyers displayed in the local libraries and recreation and park facilities.  A mini Bug Bizarre! exhibit was used at a school district outreach event to promote the event.  The agent used the Henrico Horticulture Facebook page to promote the event.  The event post had a reach of over 5,200 with over 400 individuals indicating interest in the event.  The Henrico County Public Relations department invited the agent to be part of a new podcast that they had developed called Henrico Happenings.  The agent was interviewed as part of Episode 5 of the podcast, which was released on September 1, 2019.  The Soundcloud site for this podcast indicates that it was listened to by 52 individuals. The county also posted the podcast on their main news webpage and in various social media posts.  And lastly, the event was promoted in a quarter page ad in the Henrico Recreation and Parks & Public Library program guide, September to December 2019 edition.  The agent designed the ad that was used in the publication that was distributed to all Henrico County recreation centers, branches of the Henrico County Public Library, and several local grocery and convenience store chains.  30,000 copies of the guide were printed and distributed.  The event was attended by 623 individuals, of which nearly half (292) were youth.