---
title: "The Virginian-Pilot: Mosquito Joe Relies On Education Over Scare Tactics To Warn Against Zika Virus"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/28220cfa-4bd7-4abe-bef2-6c0c0d1efc13
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/the-virginian-pilot-mosquito-joe-relies-on-education-over-scare-tactics-to-warn-against-zika-virus-4209
category: "Lawn & pest"
industry: "Home Services"
segment: "Lawn & pest"
published: 2016-04-07T15:10:15.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T04:13:15.640Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/730b9407bacbc5ae2a7ffac54ecf26006612160407104615.jpeg
---

# The Virginian-Pilot: Mosquito Joe Relies On Education Over Scare Tactics To Warn Against Zika Virus

**TL;DR:** Mosquito Joe has seen booming business due to concerns over the Zika virus, with a focus on education over scare tactics in their marketing. The company has grown from 15 locations to over 170 in three years, with its parent company Buzz Franchise Brands also launching a pool maintenance business called Pool Scouts.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2016-04-07. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/the-virginian-pilot-mosquito-joe-relies-on-education-over-scare-tactics-to-warn-against-zika-virus-4209).*

## Story

Fewer than 300 people in the U.S. have contracted the Zika virus after traveling outside of the country, and no known U.S. cases have been transmitted by mosquito - but the concern caused by Zika has meant booming business for mosquito services franchise Mosquito Joe.

The phones have been ringing off the hook for both mosquito services and from franchise prospects who see the potential in purchasing a Mosquito Joe franchise, according to a recent story in *The Virginian-Pilot*.

“Anytime that you put the potential for that kind of risk to a parent or somebody, people pay attention,” Hampton Roads Mosquito Joe franchisee Glenn Coffey told *The Virginian-Pilot*. “We don’t want to ever capitalize on that.”

Mosquito Joe has been careful not to use scare tactics in marketing materials, and has focused on education and providing tips and advice on their website for those wanting to learn more about Zika and how to prevent it. In just three years, Mosquito Joe has grown from 15 locations to more than 170, with more than 60 more territories sold.

Based on that successful model, Buzz Franchise Brands (the parent company of Mosquito Joe) has also launched Pool Scouts*, a pool maintenance business.

“They’re already trusting us to be in their backyards,” Buzz Franchise Brands CEO Kevin Wilson told *The Virginian-Pilot*, adding that more than half of Mosquito Joe's customers have pools.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- franchise growth (topic)
- Home Services (sector)
- marketing strategy (topic)
- Pool Scouts (company)
- Mosquito Joe (company)
- Buzz Franchise Brands (company)
- Kevin Wilson (person)
- pool maintenance (topic)
- zika virus (topic)

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Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/the-virginian-pilot-mosquito-joe-relies-on-education-over-scare-tactics-to-warn-against-zika-virus-4209). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/28220cfa-4bd7-4abe-bef2-6c0c0d1efc13).