If you‘re over 30, you likely walked to school and thought nothing of it.  Today, according to studies, many more students arrive by car. In response, the national Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program was created to encourage students—and their parents—to embrace the benefits of walking or biking to school.

When the City of Austin was awarded an SRTS grant, they set lofty goals: increase the number of students who walk or bike to school, improve traffic safety around schools and provide a valuable activity that parents and kids can share.  They chose Loma Media to help them meet those goals.

“With three unique audiences, we had to find core concepts that would resonate with each while maintaining brand consistency” says Loma’s John DeBello. “We also had to find an approach that would resonate in both English and Spanish.  We decided that an emotion-based appeal would cross cultural boundaries and diverse demographics.”

The bi-lingual “iWalk iBike”campaign combined strategic radio and outdoor advertising with in-school and online education, supported by special events and live celebrity appearances.  The creative focused on ‘fun’ for the kids, ‘family’ for their parents (“Moments That Matter”), and ‘safety’ for drivers (“Take Time”).

In less than two months since campaign launch, awareness and enthusiasm within the target schools has increased markedly. “Walking School Buses” (groups of walking youngsters led by local radio DJs) have proven to be a huge hit; and hearing their school receive a shout out on the radio motivates the children to keep walking… toward a healthier lifestyle.

“The best inheritance a parent can give his children is a few minutes of his time each day.”

—Orlando Battista

About Safe Routes to School

Established in May 2006, the National Center for Safe Routes to School (www.saferoutesinfo.org) assists communities in enabling and encouraging children to safely walk and bike to school. The Center strives to equip Safe Routes to School programs with the knowledge and technical information to implement safe and successful strategies. The National Center for Safe Routes to School is maintained by the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center with funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.