NMCO first partnered with the City of Las Cruces in 2022, when plastic bags were first banned. The theme was “Reimagine” with desert animal illustrations to inspire Las Crucens to have a life without plastic bags. But instead of re-imaging and bringing their reusable bags, shoppers opted to use paper bags offered by stores for a 10-cent fee. And while 10 cents doesn’t sound like much, paper bags add up to numbers like $500,000. Change needed to happen.
So, when the City of Las Cruces came to us at NMCO again in 2023, we knew we needed to do something more personal that would tug at the heartstrings. Enter Scotty, your friendly reusable bag. Our latest campaign breathes life into these often-forgotten heroes of sustainability, transforming them from mere objects into characters with emotions, desires, and charm.
Through this campaign, we tell the heartfelt story of a reusable bag yearning to be part of a family’s daily life. As the narrative unfolds, we see the bag’s sadness when left behind and the joy it used to feel when their family first bought them and used them all the time. The commercial leaves the viewers with a simple plea from their beloved bag, “Don’t Forget About Me.”
NMCO first partnered with the City of Las Cruces in 2022, when plastic bags were first banned. The theme was “Reimagine” with desert animal illustrations to inspire Las Crucens to have a life without plastic bags. But instead of re-imaging and bringing their reusable bags, shoppers opted to use paper bags offered by stores for a 10-cent fee. And while 10 cents doesn’t sound like much, paper bags add up to numbers like $500,000. Change needed to happen.
So, when the City of Las Cruces came to us at NMCO again in 2023, we knew we needed to do something more personal that would tug at the heartstrings. Enter Scotty, your friendly reusable bag. Our latest campaign breathes life into these often-forgotten heroes of sustainability, transforming them from mere objects into characters with emotions, desires, and charm.
Through this campaign, we tell the heartfelt story of a reusable bag yearning to be part of a family’s daily life. As the narrative unfolds, we see the bag’s sadness when left behind and the joy it used to feel when their family first bought them and used them all the time. The commercial leaves the viewers with a simple plea from their beloved bag, “Don’t Forget About Me.”
NMCO seeks to capture the sorrow of our beloved reusable bag and create a connection with Las Cruces shoppers. Through a series of commercials, promotional ads, and a real-live mascot at events, Scotty the Bag reminds shoppers “don’t forget about me!” in a memorable and iconic way. When developing our strategy, we reminded ourselves of the true issue – shoppers weren’t buying paper bags because they preferred them, they simply kept forgetting there is an alternative option.
To help create awareness, NMCO hired an intern whose whole focus was this campaign. The intern, Clarivel Wong, tabled at farmers markets, outside big box grocery stores, managed an active social media presence, and handed out “Don’t Forget About Me” merch. What better way to not forget your reusable bag to the store than to have a reusable bag with your favorite reusable bag, Scotty, plastered on the design?
By the end of the campaign, NMCO had no merch inventory leftover and members of the community knew Scotty by name.
The concept for our reusable bag character began simply: rigging a real reusable bag as a puppet. But through creative collaboration, our team transformed this idea into something special. Enter Scotty, the reusable bag with a heart.
NMCO’s Chief Creative Officer, Christina Ballew, kicked off the process with a trusty pen and paper to create several sketches. Meanwhile, NMCO’s Digital Designer Blanca Martinez and Creative Director Katrina Chandler, conducted vigorous research on previous campaigns that utilized puppetry. Oatly’s New Norm&Al show and vintage television show 31 Minutos served as inspiration for the project. When creating this character, it was important that Scotty looked cuddly and approachable, rather than creepy (Annabelle, anyone?). To achieve this look, Martinez used layers of fleece fabric to construct Scotty and give him a fluffier feel. Ballew, Chandler, and Martinez constructed several iterations of Scotty before he was finalized as the reusable bag, we all know and love.
Our buddy Scotty also needed to experience a range of emotions. Taking a hint from Mr. Potato Head, Martinez made a collection of eyes, eyebrows, mouths, and even tears that can be attached via Velcro to give Scotty plenty of emotional opportunity.
Scotty’s charm was undeniable. The City of Las Cruces Sustainability Department was so impressed that they hired Cruces Creatives to create a mascot version. A paid actor donned the Scotty costume, attending events around the city to promote the “Don’t Forget About Me” campaign. With Scotty as our ambassador, we handed out campaign materials and educated the public on the importance of using reusable bags.
Content & Production: 60 Days
Deployment: 120 Days
Creative Development: $30k
Ad Buy: $36k
Printing: $11.8k
Once Scotty had come to life, we knew the campaign logo had to feature our lovable reusable bag. Initially, we considered an illustrated version of Scotty, but quickly realized a photograph would better encapsulate Scotty’s charm. We opted for a photograph of Scotty, paired with illustrated text in a word bubble featuring Scotty’s signature phrase, “Don’t Forget About Me.”
Our photographer, Sam Palm, created a clean, well-lit space to capture Scotty from various angles. With these photos in hand, our graphic designers went to work, meticulously removing the background and adding the illustrated text. They then crafted several logo variations to ensure versatility across different media and orientations.
The result? A dynamic and engaging logo that perfectly embodies the spirit of Scotty and the “Don’t Forget About Me” campaign, making it both visually appealing and instantly recognizable.
Christina Ballew
Lucky Gonzalez
Katrina Chandler
Dana Apodaca
Michelle Bautista
Blanca Martinez
Aaron Walterscheid
Sam Palm
Jonathan Tatum
Anna Spitzer
Flor Hernandez
Kahlo is our gentle, friendly, office pup! He loves his belly rubbed, sniffing absolutely everything, and hasn’t found a treat he wouldn’t eat! Be sure to say hi, he loves the attention!
Anna Kat is the driving force behind NMCO’s web development endeavors. With a sharp intellect, unwavering efficiency, and a keen eye for goals, she is the go-to expert for crafting everything from sleek landing pages to nationally acclaimed e-commerce sites. Anna Kat not only serves as your trusted web developer guide but also, if you look closely, you’ll notice she’s always impeccably color-coordinated with NMCO’s brand – a true testament to her attention to detail and commitment to the company’s image.
Meet Aaron, NMCO’s “Silent Assassin.” Despite his quiet demeanor, Aaron is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to videography, editing, color grading, drone operation, lighting, and crafting unforgettable cinematic experiences. His remarkable talent and expertise shine brightly, leaving an indelible mark on every project he touches.
Dana’s journey with NMCO has been nothing short of impressive, starting as a design intern and progressing to become a designer who now plays a pivotal role in assisting with art direction. Her dedication keeps our graphics department on track and ensures our processes are efficient and business-ready. Dana’s knack for creating identity systems has resulted in some of our most recognized work. And, if you’re fortunate enough to listen in, she’s consistently voted the best playlist in the studio.
When you have a wealth of creative content, you need someone like Lucky with 18 years of business experience to guide you on where to put it. He’s our media placement guru, with the expertise and know-how to maximize your impact. Whether it’s digital banner ads or broadcast TV, Lucky can take any budget and transform it into impressions and conversions. He’s dedicated to finding solutions for your unique challenges, making him an invaluable asset to our team.
Tina, as a co-founder of NMCO, has been on a relentless mission to redefine creative services in the southwest. Building a creative studio from the ground up was a formidable challenge, but her vision and determination have transformed NMCO into a beacon of professionalism and innovation, known for its people-centric approach and out-of-the-box thinking. While she’s taken on nearly every role in the studio, Tina’s next ambition is nothing short of global. She’s poised to take on the world with her creative endeavors.