The indelible main character of the streaming series “Breaking Bad” has a new starring role in a public service advertising campaign against littering in New Mexico.
The 15- and 30-second commercials were unveiled Thursday at an arthouse movie theater in urban Santa Fe. Local officials hope actor Bryan Cranston’s brief revival of Walter White’s character will bring new awareness to the impacts of everyday waste and illegal dumping of waste, tires and household appliances.
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The ad is called “Breaking Bad Habits” and depicts White rolling a steel drum through the remote New Mexico desert before using it to collect and dispose of trash by hand. The maniacal chemist turned drug dealer tells viewers in a menacing voice to “keep the trash out of my territory.”
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham believes the mythical meth kingpin from ‘Breaking Bad’ will get people’s attention and help bring attention to serious concerns about waste and pollution in a state which is economically dependent on outdoor tourism and cinema.
“I need everyone’s attention,” said Lujan Grisham, a Democrat. “We’re going to talk about what you can do to reduce packaging and plastics and have a discussion about that and where it goes.”
The marketing campaign has $3 million in public funding and will involve billboards. This is accompanied by cleanup efforts involving state agencies, public schools, youth recreation centers and inmate crews.
Many county and city officials attended “Breaking Bad” director Vince Gilligan’s commercial screening. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said the online economy has shifted some waste disposal costs to consumers inefficiently and deserves reconsideration.
“The amount of bulk trash is moving to your house because we’re all doing more mail order,” he said. “Now we’re asking residences to pay for this, so it’s creating a real problem.”
