Ad campaign touts water conservation

Sukle's Denver work reminds people not to be wasteful

Janet Forgrieve, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 13, 2006 at midnight

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If, while sipping a cocktail in your local watering hole this summer, your drink coaster tells you to "sing shorter songs in the shower," Denver Water has gotten its point across.

A $500,000 ad campaign produced by Denver-based Sukle Advertising uses the tagline "Use only what you need" and has fun taking its own advice.

"We wanted to encourage customers to continue saving water the way they have been for the past five years, since the drought started," said Denver Water's media relations manager, Trina McGuire-Collier.

Sukle stripped down most of a 14- by-48-foot billboard, using only one-quarter of the space to deliver its message. That strategy was copied on a smaller scale on the side of RTD buses and bus benches.

"We thought it was important to be fairly direct with people in what we wanted them to accomplish," said Sukle President Mike Sukle. "It's a long-term effort for customers, and so we needed a community-based campaign."

Even more eye-catching is the black Ford Crown Victoria that's been stripped down to just barely street legal, which will carry the message around town this summer.

Yard signs delivered by Cub Scouts and drink coasters boasting funny and serious advice will pop up under beverages in Denver restaurants and bars.

The campaign's message isn't likely to come as news of any big change to Denver water's 1.2 million customers, who have cut use between 20 percent and 30 percent since 2002, McGuire-Collier said.

Instead, for most, it's a gentle reminder of the need to stay vigilant.

"What it suggests is that we're mindful of the need not to be wasteful here," McGuire-Collier said. "This summed it up quite nicely without being preachy, without being scary."

forgrievej@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-5191

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