SR-6-D (82)
[1fYl1ra of* 7'1g0 ecs JR.
F \CMANAGER\STFRPRTS\BlgHonklnldeas wpd
Council Meeting April 27, 1999 Santa Monica, CA
TO Mayor and City Council
FROM City Staff
SUBJECT Recommendation to Retain Advertising Agency Big Honkln' Ideas (BHI) to
Assist With the City's Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Campaign
Recommendation
This report recommends that the City Council direct the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a profeSSional services agreement with advertising agency Big Honkln' Ideas (BHI)
to assist With the City'S pedestrian and traffiC safety public education campaign, currently
known as "Slow Down, Santa MOnica," In an amount not to exceed $65,000
Background
Pedestrian and traffiC safety have been Santa MOnica City Council priorities for several
years The Police Department conducts more than 50 crosswalk "stings" annually
(resulting In 727 citations In 1998 alone) Crosswalk safety enhancements have been
approved as part ofthls year's PICO Streetscape Project and are being developed for other
key streets In the City In conjunction With enforcement and engineering components, staff
was directed to develop a PedestnanfTraffic Safety Public Education Campaign dUring the
1998-99 fiscal year
To that end, public Input was gathered at workshops and by questionnaire In
October-November 1998 and a campaign theme was determined, a set of strategies was
~f)
APR 2 7 1999
-~
developed, and the campaign kicked off In early December 1998 Staff was encouraged
In January 1999 to consider augmenting the campaIgn with outside professional assistance
and funds were allocated by the City Council at midyear budget review In February to
retain a firm to assist with elements of the campaign, mcludmg theme and strategy
refmement and design of matenals
The PedestnanlTraffic Safety Campaign IS a collaborative project of the City Manager's
Office, the Police Department and the Plannmg and Community Development Department
The campaign goal IS to make Santa MOnica a safer place for pedestnans and dnvers by
encouraging practice of safe and legal street-crossmg habits and by Increasing dnver
awareness of laws related to crosswalks and pedestnan nghts of way
DISCUSSion
A Request for Qualifications to provide profeSSional assistance to the City In refinmg the
plan and developmg tools and matenals for the pedestnan and traffic safety public
education campaign was sent to 35 marketing and public relatIons firms on March 1, 1999
Eight responses were received and reviewed by a committee representmg the Pollee
Department, City Manager's Office and the Planmng and Community Development
Department Four firms were selected to be Interviewed on Apnl?, 1999
Creativity, expenence, and understandmg of Santa MOnica were factors conSidered Ifl
evaluating the firms Based on quality of wntten responses, review of pnor work,
2
-- - - --
Interviews, and references checks, BHI was selected as most qualified to provIde the
desired services on this project BHI will use Edelman Public Relations/Los Angeles,
Highlands StrategIc Planning Group and AFH Media as subcontractors on the project
Representatives of Edelman and Highlands were also Interviewed
BHI's scope of work will mclude strategic planning (developmg a powerful theme and
effective advertising and public relations strategies for the campaign), conducting a senes
of focus groups (pnmanly to gauge public reactIon to proposed themes and strategies),
creating a graphiC Identity for the campaign and prepanng camera-ready artwork (Includmg
design, copywntmg, photographY/Illustration), and advlsmg the City on production and
dlstnbutlon strategies The strategIc planning and focus group components of BHl's work
are expected to take four to SIX weeks and It IS anticipated that the campaign I to either
encompass or replace "Slow Down, Santa MonIcal", will kick off m mid-summer 1999
Council Input will be sought at key pomts In the planning process
Budget/Fmanclal Impact
Funds have been budgeted and are available In Nondepartmental budget account 01-700-
274-00000-5506-00000 for this purpose Funds for campaign Implementation and
evaluation will be recommended In the 1999-00 City budget
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council direct the City Manager to negotiate and enter Into
3
~
a professIonal services agreement with Big Honkln' Ideas, an advertising agency, to assist
with the City'S pedestrian and traffic safety public education campaign In an amount not
to exceed $65,000
Prepared by Judy Rambeau, Communications Coordinator, City Manager's Office
4
-