Meet Abuelita: A Fun & Sassy Grandma who Rides METRO
Monday, August 17, 2009 3:13 PM
If you tune in to any of the Spanish-language TV or radio stations, chances are you've met Abuelita, our newest fan of METRO. She's a fun, smart grandma who gets around the city - intrepidly- by riding METRO.
"Abuelita" is our campaign aimed at the Hispanic community.
"We are reaching out to the Hispanic audience to introduce them to METRO services and to increase ridership in the Hispanic community," said Raequel Roberts, associate vice president of marketing, media and corporate communications.
Click here to see Abuelita at a Dynamos game. You'll see a 30-second Spanish version and a 30-second English version.
Who is Abuelita? She's an actor we hired. But in real life, she rides METRO, and she's a grandma.
"We took the concept to focus groups. The abuelita is very well-respected in the Hispanic community. She is someone you would trust and listen to and is the center of the family," said Sydney Scardino, METRO copywriter, who worked on the campaign. "And she is a fun, smart woman who can get around and do everything she wants to do because she rides METRO."
Roberts says as far as she knows, this is the first METRO campaign targeted to the Hispanic community. On May 5 - Cinco de Mayo - we passed out brochures, inviting the Hispanic community to nominate their grandma.
If you want to nominate your abuelita, send us a story about your abuelita's travels aboard METRO, and e-mail it to abuelita@ridemetro.org. If your story is chosen, you and your abuelita will be invited to a special event in October, National Hispanic Heritage Month in which the Hispanic culture is celebrated.
Abuelita has made personal appearances at events around town, including at the launch of the 32 Renwick Crosstown. She'll be appearing at Fiestas Patrias at Reliant Center in early September.
Catch her on TV on Telefutura Channel 67 and Univision Channel 45. And on the radio at: KTJM La Raza; KEYH La Ranchera; KQBU Tu Musica; KLTN Estereo Latino and KLAT La Trernenda. She'll also be in print ads in La Subasta soon.
The campaign ends in September, then is scheduled to reappear next January.