Alliance Campaign Trail: The Drive $marter Challenge
On Tuesday, May 20, 2008, at a press event held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., the Alliance to Save Energy and the Wal-Mart Foundation, together with 16 other high-profile and diverse partners, launched the Drive $marter Challenge (D$C) consumer education campaign. The D$C is designed to empower U.S. consumers to lower their gasoline costs by using less.
Speakers at the event included: Honorary Alliance Chair Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.); Honorary Alliance Vice-Chair Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.); Margo Oge, director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. EPA; Ray Bracy, senior vice president of U.S. government relations, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc; Red Cavaney, president and CEO, American Petroleum Institute; Dave McCurdy, president and CEO, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers; and Alliance to Save Energy President Kateri Callahan.
The launch generated excitement and extensive press coverage, including stories on CNN Headline News, PBS Nightly Business Report and high-traffic websites such as SmartMoney.com, WSJ.com, Edmunds.com, and HispanicBusiness.com. Print publications included the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Austin American-Statesman, Morning News (Springdale, Ark.), and American City and County magazine, among other publications.
The campaign’s website – www.drivesmarterchallenge.org – offers effective money- and gas-saving tips in English and Spanish and extensive additional resources – ranging from where to find the cheapest local gas to information on public transportation, biking, car sharing, and carpooling – all aimed at keeping more money in drivers’ pockets and reducing the number of costly trips to the pump. A smart, viral campaign, the Drive $marter Challenge has created effective public service announcements in English and Spanish and distributed thousands of printed ‘tips cards’ that describe practical ways to reduce daily fuel usage.
During the press event, Alliance President Kateri Callahan took a “test-drive” of the site’s interactive fuel calculator to estimate the dollar amount that could be saved by following six easy driving tips. Kateri also showed how visitors who commit to “smarter driving” by challenging at least one friend to do the same receive money-saving coupons redeemable at AutoZone, Inc. for vehicle maintenance products.
Another innovative feature of the campaign is a Broadband Media website at www.DWJTV.com/DriveSmarterChallenge with all of the campaign’s downloadable elements – video in multiple formats for TV, audio, images, photos, logos, and jingles. The site also includes a multi-media news release, campaign fact sheets, and bios.
To date, Americans visiting www.drivesmarterchallenge.org have committed to saving over 22,000 metric tons of CO2, 2 million gallons of gas, and 6.5 million dollars by taking the Drive $marter Challenge. The Challenge has also reached over 3.5 million TV viewers and more than 10.74 million radio listeners through initial impressions.
Left to Right: Dave McCurdy, Margo Oge, Ray Bracy, Kateri Callahan, and Red Cavaney
Honorary Alliance Chair Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) challenged his colleagues in the Senate to join the D$C
API’s Chief Economist, John Felmy, and President Kateri Callahan participated in a nationwide satellite media and radio tour
Honorary Alliance Co-chair Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.) says “energy efficiency is not for wimps, it’s for warriors”
