Capital Metro to spend millions on marketing

Fully $8.6 million is how much the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority will spend on outside marketing services over the next four years. On Monday, the board of directors unanimously approved a resolution authorizing President and CEO Linda Watson to sign contracts with eight different firms, many of them based in Austin. The services to be delivered are defined in five categories: communications and social media services, multimedia advertising, market research, community involvement and public affairs, and video production. Capital Metro maintains its own marketing staff but relies on contracted help to develop campaigns and meet objectives. The eight firms selected for the one-year contract with three optional extensions are Blackboard Co., Concept Development & Planning LLC, PAVLOV Advertising LLC, PRR Inc., Pulsar Advertising Inc., Rindy Miller Media, Sensis Agency and Sherry Matthews Advocacy Marketing. City Council Member and Capital Metro Board Member Delia Garza suggested to her colleagues that she would take up the mantle of former board member Ann Stafford in policing the tone of the agency’s advertising. Noting some previous campaigns, Garza said, “There were some ads that made me blush a little.”