Toss No Más – New Mexico Clean & Beautiful, New Mexico State Highway and Transportation Dept.

In 1992, Cooney, Watson & Associates, Inc. was selected by the New Mexico Clean & Beautiful and the New Mexico State Highway & Transportation Dept. to develop a unique anti-litter campaign for the state.

Challenges:

• Develop a brand that would work in both English and Spanish and that was distinctly New Mexican, along the same lines as “Don’t Mess with Texas.”
• Stretch the campaign’s limited budget through identifying and recruiting potential partners such as fast food providers and grocery store chains
• Work with all of the Keep America Beautiful (KAB) affiliates throughout the state to assist them in taking and using campaign elements for local events and promotions
• Assure the campaign was culturally appropriate for both Anglo and Hispanic groups due to the fact the slogan utilized “Spanglish,” a combination of English and Spanish words
• Research on the extent of the litter problem in New Mexico
• Development of campaign strategies focusing on targeted population with the highest rate of littering (males 18-34)

Activities:

• Development of a campaign logo
• Development of a song that could be used in radio and television commercials
• Development of 4 radio commercials and 4 television commercials utilizing a variety of formats appropriate for urban, rural and Native American audiences
• Kickoff of the campaign at two large public events – the New Mexico State Fair and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
• Development of a brochure
• Recruitment of major corporate sponsors including Furr’s Supermarkets, Sonic Drive-Ins and Alsup’s convenience stores. Sponsors paid for litter bags, posted messages on reader boards, posted messages on fast food wrappers and assisted with special events
• Focus group testing of campaign concepts with English and Spanish speaking groups throughout New Mexico
• Booking of radio and interviews for campaign spokespeople

Results:

• The campaign was an instant success, even receiving coverage in the New York Times
• The campaign was adopted by all of the state’s KAB affiliates
• Major corporate sponsors donated more than $75,000 in in-kind support
• More than 25 print/television and radio interviews were scheduled over a six-month period
• Six years after its inception, the campaign garnered a 67% unaided recall rate in an independent survey done for the NMSHTD by Research & Polling

Materials developed
for this campaign:

• Logo
• Fast Food Wrappers
• Litter Bags
• Bumper Stickers, Pencils and other Giveaways
• Flyers
• Print Ads
• TV & Radio Ads
• Press Conference
• Community Outreach Programs at Major Events (State Fair, Balloon Fiesta)