SCWC & CCO Announce Second Phase Of Lawn Dude Conservation Campaign
Clear Channel Outdoor Continues Donation of Digital Billboard Space to Encourage Drought Tolerant Landscaping as California’s Historic Drought Persists
Los Angeles, CA – Southern California Water Committee (SCWC) and Clear Channel Outdoor (CCO) today announced the second phase of the @Lawn_Dude advertising campaign aimed at encouraging Californians to remove turf and invest in water-wise landscaping. The @Lawn_Dude campaign was first launched during the summer and focused on encouraging Californians to cut back outdoor water use during the state’s historic drought. The next chapter advocates for drought tolerant landscaping and will feature new art gracing digital billboards in the Los Angeles region, once again donated by CCO.
“It’s time to take it all off California! I know you love me but I drink too much during our drought so go ahead, give me a Brazilian,” said @Lawn_Dude, SCWC’s conservation spokesperson. “Keeping me thirsty isn’t enough. I need a new look and I’m loving the succulent style.”
Governor Jerry Brown announced a drought emergency in January of this year and conditions have yet to improve. The State Water Resources Control Board enacted mandatory conservation measures during the summer, requiring residents and businesses to cut back on their water use, or face fines. As the drought persists, residents and businesses need to consider additional steps that can be taken to further reduce water consumption, like turf removal and drought tolerant landscaping.
The digital billboard campaign partnership will continue through the end of the year, featuring two new conservation messages. The new campaign advocates for turf removal by urging Californians to “Take it off, take it all off,” and suggests that residents and businesses ‘plant smart’ by checking out @Lawn_Dude’s “succulent new style” and investing in drought tolerant landscaping.
“We saw a great response from our initial @Lawn_Dude campaign and are grateful to have the opportunity to again partner with Clear Channel Outdoor to extend the conservation message and promote turf removal in Southern California,” said Charles Wilson, chairman of the SCWC Board of Trustees. “Thanks to CCO’s generous donation we’ll again be able to harness the power of digital billboards to educate Southern Californians about how they step up conservation efforts during our historic drought.”
CCO regularly donates space on its digital and traditional billboards in Southern California and throughout the nation to display public safety and public awareness messages.
“As California’s drought persists into the winter, it’s time for residents to get smart about outdoor water use – there’s more to conservation than reduced water use – and we’re proud to help get the word out to Californians,” said Layne Lawson, director of public affairs for Clear Channel Outdoor. “We love @Lawn_Dude’s succulent new style and hope to see desert landscapes coming to yards throughout the Southland.”
The unique ability of digital signs to reach a wide audience while displaying messages in real-time allows them to act as valuable resources for non-profit organizations, public safety agencies, law enforcement and a variety of others who need to effectively relay messages to the public.
The @Lawn_Dude ads will appear on digital billboards across Southern California through the end of the year. Southern Californians are encouraged to continue interacting with @Lawn_Dude on Twitter and share billboard sightings, personal water saving practices and photos of their new drought tolerant yards.
For more information on SCWC, please visit www.socalwater.org. For additional consumer tips on conservation, visit Save Our Water.