PUP Campaign

Branding / Design / Public Relations

When the City of Columbus Department of Public Utilities needed to remind people that picking up after their pets to help keep our water clean is the law, MurphyEpson created the PUP campaign. Our idea was to present this serious, slightly smelly, subject in a way that was memorable and humorous. A street team and custom-made PUP wagon full of free pet prizes grabbed attention and PUP pledge signups at community events and bark parks. The Mayor became the grand “poo-bah” and news stories and blog posts gave the “poop scoop.” Utility bill inserts were mailed to 314,000 residents and PUP partners (vets, groomers, stores and animal shelters) distributed 20,000 PUP tip/pledge cards. Park signage, Facebook pages, a website and hotline all built buzz. MurphyEpson’s multi-pronged, grassroots-based outreach strategy persuaded thousands of dog owners to take the PUP pledge tipping the City’s GreenSpot program over the 10,000-member milestone.