Final Detailed Findings Report for Marketing Plan and Outreach Materials that Promote Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety to Different Hispanic Populations in the United States

Section 7. ¡Yo camino – yo cuento!

7.1 Introduction

The purpose of the ¡Yo camino – yo cuento! (I walk – I count!) campaign is to encourage people to walk more often for short, purposeful trips.

7.2 Summary

This campaign, developed by the North Central Texas Council of Governments, encourages people to walk more often for short, purposeful trips. The Jefferson Boulevard and Bishop Arts area of Dallas was selected as the first district to be targeted by the campaign. A group of key stakeholders (not specified in the press release) formed a committee to provide input and direction on potential strategies, as well as messages and graphics, for the campaign. Characters from the Baldo comic strip are featured in the campaign materials, which include billboards, door decals and brochures. The billboards contain the slogan "Una Familia Activa Vive Mejor. ¡Camina!" (An Active Family Lives Better. Walk!), and will be installed at strategic locations around the district. The door decals contain the logo, "¡Entrale! Come in!" The Baldo comic strip characters are also featured on a bilingual brochure, "Caminar – ¡Un hábito que vale la pena fomentar!" (Walking – A habit worth forming!) The brochure lists reasons to walk, suggestions on destinations, safety tips, walking gear tips, steps to fitness walking, and walking goals.

7.3 Questions answered

What types of messages are most likely to have the most impact?
What are the best "media" for getting the messages across? Could the messages be effectively promoted in specific locations frequented by Hispanics?

This campaign relies on slogans that encourage walking and illustrations of comic strip characters who are enthusiastic about walking. The materials include billboards, door decals and brochures. The billboards are placed at strategic locations and the door decals are placed on public entrances. The brochure contains "how-to" information on walking. The press release does not indicate where the brochures will be distributed.

Should materials be presented just in Spanish, or in English and Portuguese as well?

The billboards are in Spanish, and the door decals are in both Spanish and English; the brochures are also bilingual. The campaign materials do not include Portuguese.

7.4 Outstanding questions

In what pedestrian and bicycle safety-related areas is communication with Hispanic audiences most needed?

Although the brochure provides safety tips such as "always walk facing traffic", this campaign does not address topic areas such as understanding of pedestrian signals or impaired pedestrians. This campaign does not address bicycle safety.

Which Hispanic groups should be targeted and why?
Which age groups of Hispanics should be targeted and why?

This campaign did not target specific Hispanic groups such as migrant workers or recent immigrants.

Should different cultural groups be targeted and why?

This campaign does not target different cultural groups.