AASHTO s National Marketing Campaign

1. AASHTO’s National Marketing Campaign Using Targeted Marketing and Coalitions to Win Public Support Paula Hammond Secretary, Washington DOT Chair, AASHTO Marketing Task Force

2. Building Support for Transportation Next year, legislation authorizing the current transportation program will expire; and the Administration and Congress must take action to either extend the current program or adopt a new one. Unfortunately, given the current economic turmoil, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the election, funding for transportation is not at the top of most people’s minds. Yet we all know that a solid transportation system is critical to the nation’s future success. As a result, this Spring, AASHTO initiated a strategic marketing campaign to build support for transportation. As you can see from this diagram, AASHTO is working arm-in-arm with the states and local governments as well as the larger transportation community to generate media, sponsor events, and create communications tools to get this message across in the coming months.Next year, legislation authorizing the current transportation program will expire; and the Administration and Congress must take action to either extend the current program or adopt a new one. Unfortunately, given the current economic turmoil, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the election, funding for transportation is not at the top of most people’s minds. Yet we all know that a solid transportation system is critical to the nation’s future success. As a result, this Spring, AASHTO initiated a strategic marketing campaign to build support for transportation. As you can see from this diagram, AASHTO is working arm-in-arm with the states and local governments as well as the larger transportation community to generate media, sponsor events, and create communications tools to get this message across in the coming months.

3. Marketing Campaign Game Plan Working with the State DOTs, provide: Communications tools Core messages Strategies Promising practices  Build coalitions of support with key influencers, including: State, local and federal officials Non-profit and trade associations Labor and the corporate community Our plan is to generate Buzz – in every way we can.Our plan is to generate Buzz – in every way we can.

4. Moving Quickly; Working Smart We began with the launch of America’s Transportation Awards: 28 states participated in this first-year’s effort, which culminated in the announcement earlier today of the top two prizes –the Grand National Prize; and the People’s Choice Award. Washington was thrilled to have the Tacoma Narrows Bridge among the top ten finalists. And we were delighted that the People’s Choice Award drew more than 55,500 on-line votes! We brought on a consultant – Fleishman-Hillard – to assist us in developing messages. – We’ll hear from them shortly about the importance of messaging in this campaign and how we can all use these messages to enhance transportation to our various constituencies. In July AASHTO released the Bridge report – media surrounding this event was tremendous. More than 39 million people heard or read about the report through various news reports. In September, states were ready with key messages and real, hard data to respond to the shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund – leading to quick action in Congress to resolve the issue, at least in the short-term.We began with the launch of America’s Transportation Awards: 28 states participated in this first-year’s effort, which culminated in the announcement earlier today of the top two prizes –the Grand National Prize; and the People’s Choice Award. Washington was thrilled to have the Tacoma Narrows Bridge among the top ten finalists. And we were delighted that the People’s Choice Award drew more than 55,500 on-line votes! We brought on a consultant – Fleishman-Hillard – to assist us in developing messages. – We’ll hear from them shortly about the importance of messaging in this campaign and how we can all use these messages to enhance transportation to our various constituencies. In July AASHTO released the Bridge report – media surrounding this event was tremendous. More than 39 million people heard or read about the report through various news reports. In September, states were ready with key messages and real, hard data to respond to the shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund – leading to quick action in Congress to resolve the issue, at least in the short-term.

5. Launching: What the New President and Congress Should Know… At Annual Meeting Video interviews Comment cards Our website: IToldThePresident.org Communications Tool Kit for State DOT PIOs and Communications Coalition Our latest effort is: What the new President and Congress should know about transportation. This effort hits on several of our strategies – we have a website: www.itoldthepresident.org; we have a video; and once the meeting is over, we will be sending states a tool kit to “spread the word”. This is also part of our viral campaign – getting people to do their own videos and add their own content. Our latest effort is: What the new President and Congress should know about transportation. This effort hits on several of our strategies – we have a website: www.itoldthepresident.org; we have a video; and once the meeting is over, we will be sending states a tool kit to “spread the word”. This is also part of our viral campaign – getting people to do their own videos and add their own content.

6. Upcoming: Transportation TV/Web AASHTO’s own web channel, content on, about and for transportation Weekly newscasts Posted interviews with transportation champions Videos and webcams People stories Links to state and partner videos Transportation TV is another exciting new venture – AASHTO already has its own YouTube channel – with more than 6,000 views of our Bridge video alone. Video and the internet are the media of the future – and AASHTO wants to be there, pushing out our unfiltered content. Here’s an opportunity for everyone to get involved – the states, consulting community, champions of transportation – can be a part of this effort.Transportation TV is another exciting new venture – AASHTO already has its own YouTube channel – with more than 6,000 views of our Bridge video alone. Video and the internet are the media of the future – and AASHTO wants to be there, pushing out our unfiltered content. Here’s an opportunity for everyone to get involved – the states, consulting community, champions of transportation – can be a part of this effort.

7. Coming Up Release of key reports on finance, road conditions, freight and rail Three-week display of the America’s Transportation Award nominees at Union Station in Washington, DC National Campaign Roll Out Given the tremendous success of the Bridge report, AASHTO will release a series of reports next year, beginning with the Bottom Line report in January, followed by Rough Roads, the condition of America’s highways; a series on the needs of the Interstate system, and the future of moving freight in this country. In February, in conjunction with AASHTO’s Washington briefing, all the nominated projects for the America’s Transportation Awards will be showcased at a large display at Union Station – visited by 100,000 people every day. And we are planning a National Town Hall meeting on transportation, to be held in the Spring. Competition for the 2009 America’s Transportation Awards will open in April – so to all of you here, start planning now to enter! Other ideas for next year include scholarships for the best animated “Future of Transportation”, a possible Transportation Rally, and other activities to involve people of all ages. Given the tremendous success of the Bridge report, AASHTO will release a series of reports next year, beginning with the Bottom Line report in January, followed by Rough Roads, the condition of America’s highways; a series on the needs of the Interstate system, and the future of moving freight in this country. In February, in conjunction with AASHTO’s Washington briefing, all the nominated projects for the America’s Transportation Awards will be showcased at a large display at Union Station – visited by 100,000 people every day. And we are planning a National Town Hall meeting on transportation, to be held in the Spring. Competition for the 2009 America’s Transportation Awards will open in April – so to all of you here, start planning now to enter! Other ideas for next year include scholarships for the best animated “Future of Transportation”, a possible Transportation Rally, and other activities to involve people of all ages.

8. Keys to Success Localize and personalize Cut through the clutter with strong messages Insert key campaign talking points into speeches, testimony, media interviews Build strong coalitions of support within each of our industries As part of this campaign we see as our keys to success: We must bring the issue of the importance of transportation down to the local level – what people can see or use, everyday. We must cut through the clutter with strong messages. We want to blanket our message over everything we do – our printed materials, our speeches, our media interviews. And we want to ensure that we have strong champions in our communities to assist us in carrying our messages. Our focus groups have shown that local and state officials carry the most weight with people – followed closely by the local business and community leaders. In a few minutes, we’ll hear more about how one state is going about building these types of coalitions.As part of this campaign we see as our keys to success: We must bring the issue of the importance of transportation down to the local level – what people can see or use, everyday. We must cut through the clutter with strong messages. We want to blanket our message over everything we do – our printed materials, our speeches, our media interviews. And we want to ensure that we have strong champions in our communities to assist us in carrying our messages. Our focus groups have shown that local and state officials carry the most weight with people – followed closely by the local business and community leaders. In a few minutes, we’ll hear more about how one state is going about building these types of coalitions.

9. Using the Right Message Finding the “right words” to convey the importance of transportation Consultant on board – Key messages and a “tag-line” will be used throughout the campaign and by a variety of users, including state DOTs, legislators, and partners Any marketing and communications campaign must be based on a strong and compelling message. AASHTO is working with the team of Fleishman-Hillard and Luntz, Maslansky Research to help us develop that message. Equally important is ensuring that good messages are used to optimal advantage. Jeff Weintraub, senior vice president and partner, Fleishman-Hillard, and David Bass, vice president of Luntz, will take it from here to tell us how to be effective with our messages. Jeff, David….. (Go to the script for introductory text for their part in the session.)Any marketing and communications campaign must be based on a strong and compelling message. AASHTO is working with the team of Fleishman-Hillard and Luntz, Maslansky Research to help us develop that message. Equally important is ensuring that good messages are used to optimal advantage. Jeff Weintraub, senior vice president and partner, Fleishman-Hillard, and David Bass, vice president of Luntz, will take it from here to tell us how to be effective with our messages. Jeff, David….. (Go to the script for introductory text for their part in the session.)