Metro has chosen the term of "Watch your Back. Stay off the track." as the safety slogan for light rail. Scottsdale resident Ann W. Shannon was the winner of the contest where approximately 1500 entries were submitted by the public. The contest winner receives a free year long pass which, according to the AZ Republic, she plans to donate to charity.
Of all the entries, the top ten chosen by Metro for consideration were:
Respect the Rail.
Mind the track.
Metro Light Rail – Watch Where We’re Going.
Use Your Brain. Mind the train!
Watch Your back. Stay off the Track.
Look – Listen – Live. Light rail.
Train Your Brain.
Be Rail Safe!
Light rail safety. It's a way of life!
Steer Clear, Metro’s Here.
Some other interesting slogans mentioned were:
"Big train a coming so you better start running."
"Watch Out Dummy!".
"Silent, but deadly! "
"Be alert, don't get hurt."
"Please don't pee on our train, we don't commute in your toilet."
"Save your tail, avoid the rail"
"Don't be insane – yield to the train!"
The main thing is… Be safe near light rail, use common sense and pay attention. These trains are huge and they will squish you if you are not careful.
So, do YOU have a favorite? Go ahead and let us know! And remember, "Your Life Is On The Line!"
i personally like “be rail safe.” clever. the one they chose is not so much!
I think the slogan chosen is a good choice — simple, clear, straightforward.
I think this process also shows how citizen suggestions and open contests can often produce better results than professional branding campaigns. I’m thinking, of course, about the often-maligned “X marks the spot” campaign developed for the Downtown Phoenix Partnership by a marketing firm. Just think; if the same approach had been used to develop a slogan for Downtown as had been used for light rail safety, we might have had a better outcome at a far lower price.