- Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT) is launching a PSA campaign intended to curb littering in Nashville.
- Introducing “Trashley,” a gritty character who aims to educate the public about the presence of litter in Nashville.
- Check out the campaign spot linked here.
- The PSA is layered with storytelling. It builds on a popular campaign from 1976 titled “Tennessee Trash,” and the spot opens with a flashback. The original spot not only serves as inspiration, but as the foundation for Trashley’s character as viewers learn it’s her father who littered the streets and highways all those years ago.
- The city has come a long way since that campaign. But just like any metropolitan area, Nashville deals with illegal dumping and litter – there are approximately 88 million pieces of litter on Tennessee roadways, and last year, Nashville saw nearly 1,000 litter complaints from residents.
- Trashley is played by Jenny Littleton, an actress known for her starring role in the longtime country music satire Doyle & Debbie, alongside creative partner Bruce Arnston. This creative project marks the first time the two have partnered since the show ended in 2020.
- An original song was created for the spot, composed by Bruce Arnston, and performed by Jenny Littleton.
- Original lyrics:
Let’s get messy, I wanna go wild
Well, I’m daddy’s little girl, but I’m Mother Nature’s problem child
I like my Nashville Trashville
All that cleanliness brings me down
So, head’s up, ditches. Trashley’s comin’ to town.
- Viewers will hear the spot end with “Heads up, ditches. Trashley’s comin’ to town.” Following the broadcast launch, Trashley (played by Littleton) will hit the road visiting area schools and Nashville events (like CMA Fest) in character. Team members from NDOT will also be present to help tame Trashley’s behavior and misinformation around littering.
- Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell is seen in the spot as Trashley speeds past his mailbox in a residential neighborhood, after knocking some trashcans over in her path. O’Connell’s agenda includes taming littering in the city and was on board to appear in the spot to further those efforts.
- The agency behind the work is MP&F, leading the creative, media, social media and PR efforts.
- Leading up to the campaign, NDOT’s social media channels teased the launch in a number of posts.
REPRESENTATIVE QUOTE:
- “In a town of storytellers, songwriters and performers, we wanted this campaign to be layered, just like our city itself,” said Tom Cocke, MP&F VP, Creative Director. “We looked back to the popular ’70s campaign for a little history. We partnered with local talent to create an original song. We enlisted the help of Mayor Freddie O’Connell to underscore the campaign’s importance. Altogether, our hope is that this message will become a hit with viewers today just as the original did many years ago.”
