Project Connect – A Transformational Transit Plan for Austin, TX
Target Audience: The target audience for this effort was people living within the Capital Metro service area, 18 years or older. All materials were developed in English and Spanish, with some duplicated in other language to reach a large, diverse audience.
Strategy Objective:The objective was to educate our community about the plan so they had the information to make an informed decision on the ballot initiative, while also increasing awareness of the plan. The strategy was a three-prong approach: - Build awareness of Project Connect - Educate the public on project details. - Reach audiences through multiple touchpoints. Capital Metro hired local firm the Sherry Matthews Group to assist in developing a comprehensive effort to educate the community that included: - Public relations - Paid search & discovery ads - Mobile & desktop display ads - Pandora - Social media - YouTube & TV spots The creative included the tagline "It's Go Time!" and the message we were sending to all Austinites was, "Capital Metro is ready to do this-let's go!"
Situation Challenge: On Nov. 3, 2020 Capital Metro asked the community to invest $7.1 billion in a transformational transit plan, unlike anything Central Texas has ever seen. That plan was, and is still, called Project Connect. Project Connect is a bold plan for a high-capacity system designed to help ease congestion, reduce carbon emissions, and provide equitable transportation options. According to a May 2019 Capital Metro survey, only 8% of survey participants indicated awareness of Project Connect. The low level of awareness was the challenge, and we set forth the goal to increase engagement and awareness to be measured by a follow-up survey. The ultimate measure of success was if the community supported the ballot initiative that would fund the program (spoiler alert: they did!).
Results Impact: The educational efforts garnered more than 89 million impressions in multiple languages. Additionally, Capital Metro collected feedback from nearly 60,000 people, hosted hundreds of community meetings, and more than 4,000 people shared feedback at virtual community meetings. In October 2020 we conducted a follow-up survey to measure our work. According to the survey, awareness increased from 8% in May 2019 to 57% in October 2020. Additionally, more than 70% of respondents demonstrated an awareness that Capital Metro had a Transit Plan. The ultimate measure of success occurred on Nov. 3, 2020 – Election Night. The community supported Project Connect and it was approved with almost 59% support. The project and the communications and marketing plan supporting the project were a success.
Why Submit: Nationwide, Capital Metro's Project Connect was the largest transportation ballot initiative approved by voters in the November 2020 elections. Not only did it garner local support, but it did so during a global pandemic, in a heightened political atmosphere and in a community that had a voting history of not supporting transit initiatives. This campaign should win an AdWheel because it can act as a best practice for agencies nationwide who are facing challenging ballot initiatives or need inspiration for garnering enthusiasm behind a plan.