The Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors Tuesday voted to spend $14.7 million over three years to continue its advertising and public outreach campaign promoting water conservation.
The vote approved a contract with Los Angeles-based firm Quigley-Simpson & Heppelwhite to lead a new campaign that will feature ads on television, radio, streaming radio, newspapers, billboards, buses and social media.
“These efforts have produced results. Our research shows attitudes toward conservation have changed, awareness has increased. But we still have work to do,” Metropolitan board Chairman Randy Record said.
The new campaign will begin this summer and promote the water conservation rebate programs offered by MWD and its member agencies, and encourage residents to make water conservation a permanent lifestyle change though rainy years and dry ones.
“In the past few years, we’ve seen dramatic swings in hydrologic conditions, from the driest to the wettest periods in California’s recorded history,” Kightlinger said.
“Those kinds of swings aren’t likely to end. Climate change will only add greater uncertainty and more challenges. Some of that is out of our control, but what is within our control is how much water we each use on a daily basis.”
Quigley-Simpson & Heppelwhite were chosen from among nine firms after an open bidding process. The firm has led two of MWD’s other conservation campaigns over the last three years, Take a Turn and H2Love.
“Not only does the firm offer this experience and understanding of conservation issues, it also proposes fresh, creative, and impactful approaches for the next campaign,” said Sue Sims, MWD’s external affairs manager.
–City News Service