Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2007
METRO TRANSIT WINS NATIONAL
TRANSIT MARKETING AWARDS
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – (Oct. 16) – Metro Transit announced today that one of its 2007 television commercials won top honors in the TV advertising category of the 28th Annual AdWheel Award competition sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association.
The AdWheel Awards, which recognize excellence in public transportation marketing and communications, were presented at an awards ceremony Oct. 8 in Charlotte, N.C., as part of APTA's 2007 Annual Meeting. More than 750 entries were received in this year's competition.
"Receiving a coveted AdWheel Award is a prestigious accomplishment and should be celebrated as a mark of originality, creativity, and excellence in public transportation marketing and communications," said APTA President William W. Millar.
Metro Transit's winning entry, which is airing now on Twin Cities broadcast and cable channels, has an environmental theme. The 30-second spot suggests that citizens set about fixing the earth as they strive to fix other things in their lives. View the award-winning ad here.
"The message of the TV spot is a compelling and effectively presented," said Bruce Howard, Metro Transit's director of marketing. "The tagline of the commercial also draws attention to our Go Greener Initiative in which we embrace hybrid electric propulsion with the environmentally friendly biodiesel fuels."
The ad was produced under Metro Transit direction by Periscope, the largest independently owned advertising agency in Minneapolis.
In addition to the TV award, Metro Transit received one of two awards presented in the competition's New Media category. Metro Transit was recognized for a web-based interactive map that is part of its 21 Hop + Shop promotion. The promotion is a partnership between the transit agency and businesses along Lake Street in which the merchants offer discounts to transit customers when they show their bus passes or transfers. View the map here.
Metro Transit is a service of the Metropolitan Council. Customers boarded its buses and trains 73.4 million times last year.
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(Editors: For information call Bob Gibbons, director of customer services, 612-349-7509 or via e-mail at robert.gibbons@metc.state.mn.us)
