Austin, Texas Issues Clean Air Marketing RFP

The City of Austin, Texas is seeking an agency  to develop and implement a  marketing campaign focused on increasing the willingness of the general public to take actions to reduce ground- level ozone forming emissions. The desire is to develop a marketing campaign to implement during the ozone season that occurs during the months of March to October.

BACKGROUND

The City is a member of the Clean Air Coalition, and a partner in the regional Ozone Advance Program Action Plan. The goal of the Air Quality Program is to promote healthy outdoor air for all residents by alerting residents of what they can do to reduce ozone forming emissions. The program addresses the impact of City operations and actions on air quality and traffic congestion with outreach, policy, and educational resources to provide Austin residents a better quality of life. The program also has a commitment to regional air quality program outreach and education.

Program Development

1. Use existing regional and national creative to encourage residents to take the following actions:
   1. Drive Less – Examples are to: use transit; vanpool; carpool; bicycle; walk; telework; work a compressed work week; flex schedule; encourage kids to take school buses to school or to bike/walk to school; plan to string trips together; teleconference or videoconference when possible.
   2. Drive Clean – Examples are to: avoid high-emission driving practices; buy and use cleaner vehicles; limit vehicle idling; maintain your vehicle; buy cleaner gasoline; report smoking vehicles.
   3. Conserve – Examples are to: purchase energy efficient appliances; properly weatherize you home; avoid using air conditioning when possible; plant trees to increase shade cover and reduce the need for cooling; install a cool roof; install rooftop solar panels; reduce the temperature of the water heater; reduce water consumption.
2. Develop new Austin-centric marketing materials that carry the tagline “Be Air Aware”, with prior approval by the Contract Manager or designee.
   1. Contractor developed marketing materials created as a part of the final advertising campaign shall become the property of the City to use in other marketing campaigns.

Implementation

1. Source and use a broad range of outlets to connect with people, such as, radio, social media, web banners and tile ads, targeted bullseye ads, digital mobile, and television.
2. Have a particular emphasis when ozone forming emissions are typically at their highest.
   1. High ozone levels most frequently occur from mid-May to late June and from mid-August to early October.
   2. High ozone level occur least frequently on Sundays, and most frequently on Fridays and Saturdays.

Target the following audience:

1. Individuals who are 18 years or older that live in Austin or commute into Austin during peak travel times, which are Monday through Friday mornings from 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM and evenings from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
2. Residents that are fluent in English, Spanish, or both. Reaching the Asian community is desirable as well.
3. Use the following advertising media:
   1. Radio advertising, with a target of reaching a minimum of 1.1 million unique listeners (adults 18+) at a frequency of 3.0.
   2. Social media advertising, with a target of reaching a minimum of 100,000 individual impressions per month.
   3. Web banner and sidebar advertising, with a target of reaching a minimum of 200,000 desktop individual impressions and a minimum of 30,000 individual mobile individual impressions.
   4. Incorporate the use other media if funding is available, such as targeted bullseye ads, digital mobile ads, television placements to name a few.

Proposal due by 3/28/2017 to:

Central Purchasing
124 W 8th Street, Room/Suite 308
Austin, TX 78701

Texas PR firms include Weber Shandwick and Edelman PR.