Widmeyer Communications Again Chosen for 'Pool Safely' Campaign with U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

WASHINGTON, May 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Widmeyer Communications, A Finn Partners Company, has been awarded a new nearly $1 million contract to continue its work on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) Pool Safely program, a national public education campaign that Widmeyer helped launch five years ago.

Widmeyer was awarded an additional one-year extension of its work through a contract totaling $979,589 – a 62-percent increase from the previous one-year contract. Widmeyer's work to help reduce child drowning and entrapment incidents will continue through May 2015. The robust campaign includes radio, television and out-of-home PSA placements; earned media; coordination of nearly 900 third-party partners; events with the client and partners; social media; website development; and monitoring and tracking of results.

"We're proud of the work we've done in partnership with Widmeyer Communications on the Pool Safely campaign," said Scott Wolfson, CPSC Communications Director. "CPSC and Widmeyer are fully committed to saving lives and we have a robust campaign planned for the year ahead to keep all kids safe in or around pools and spas."

The campaign teaches adults and children to take steps to be safe in and around pools and spas, such as: always watch children when they're in or around the water, make sure children learn how to swim, learn CPR, install proper fencing, make sure fences have self-closing, self-latching gates, and ensure pools have proper safety drain covers to prevent entrapments. On average 390 children under the age of 15 drown in pools and spas annually.

"This campaign is helping to save lives and working to stop these preventable and tragic child drowning deaths," said Jim Luetkemeyer, head of Widmeyer Public Affairs. "We're honored to work on this campaign and we're pleased the CPSC has shown confidence in us to continue this important work."

The education campaign is a requirement of Section 1407 of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, federal legislation which took effect in 2008 and mandated new requirements for pool and spa safety, including a national education campaign.

Widmeyer Communications is a subsidiary of Finn Partners, Inc. which has offices in New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, and Israel. Finn Partners provides research-based strategy and planning, public relations, advertising, creative and digital expertise to clients with needs in technology, consumer marketing, public affairs, healthcare, education, arts and culture, environment, transportation and travel and economic development.

Finn Partners was named "Best New Agency" in 2012 and "Best Agency to Work For" in 2013 by the industry's Holmes Report and Best Mid-sized Agency in the US by PR News.  Learn more about Finn Partners at www.finnpartners.com and follow us on Twitter @Finnpartners.  Widmeyer is a proud recipient of The Council of PR Firms and PR Week's 2012 Diversity Distinction in PR Award.  Learn more about Widmeyer at www.widmeyer.com.

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SOURCE Finn Partners