TxDOT Labor Day Push is Black and Yellow and Creative All Over.

It’s only taken me a couple of weeks to notice a provocatively fine public advocacy campaign by TxDOT.

Sorry. I suppose it’s a sad state of affairs that I first learned of it on the Houston Chronicle’s Beer, TX blog. (But not too sad – beer is good.) Well, the fully realized “Choose your ride” campaign is worth the wait.

You can read all about the total TxDOT Labor Day effort here. And review its various components here and here. The entire effort gets an “A+” because it is so rich in concept, execution details, components and media mix. I’m really writing to show you some of the stuff, and to underscore the eye-grabbing power that black-and-yellow visual “Choose your ride” concept: the combo Yellow cab and police unit is (pardon me) arresting.

For all the marketers and creative people who are tapped into State of Texas marketing and advertising, you won’t be surprised to discover that this program comes out of the Sherry Matthews agency in Austin. But I was surprised by just how much imaginative work has been done by the Matthews shop since the last time I looked at its website.

Honestly, “Choose your ride” is sharp, interesting creative that fulfills an important advocacy function at the same time. Congratulations.

Now I’m just that much more aware of the need for careful driving to and from Galveston this weekend. And you are too.

PS: Thanks to Tracie Mendez of TxDOT’s Traffic Safety Office for extra information.

Parrot’s Joke

Two old guys, Abe and Sol, sat on a bench in a park feeding pigeons and talking about baseball, just like they did every day. Abe turns to Sol and says, “Do you think there's baseball in heaven?”

Sol thinks about it for a minute and replies, “I dunno, Abe. But let’s make a deal: If I die first, I will come back and tell you, and if you die first, you come back and tell me, if there is baseball in heaven.”

They shake on it and, sadly, a few months later poor Abe passes on. One day soon afterward, Sol is sitting there feeding the pigeons by himself when he hears a voice whisper, “Sol... Sol....”

Sol responds, “Abe! Is that you?”

“Yes it is, Sol,” whispers the spirit of Abe.

Sol, still amazed, asks, “So, is there baseball in heaven?”

“Well,” says Abe, “I got good news and I got bad news.”

“Gimme the good news first,” says Sol.

Abe replies, “Well...there is baseball in heaven.”

Sol says, “That's great! What news could be bad enough to ruin that!?”

Abe sighs and whispers, “You're pitching on Friday.”

I cribbed this from the Galveston Parrot, “the Gulf Coast’s Favorite Newspaper.” It was too good not to share, so thanks to the Parrot.