Dallas
The Texas Transportation Department has launched a campaign to reclaim its official anti-litter slogan, “Don’t mess with Texas.” An ad agency coined the phrase for the state in 1986, to discourage motorists from discarding trash along Texas roadsides. But the slogan caught on as an expression of state pride, and entrepreneurs stamped it onto everything from T-shirts to refrigerator magnets. In the last year, state officials have sent cease-and-desist letters to 23 merchandisers and organizations warning them to stop using the trademarked catchphrase. “It’s a litter prevention message,” one official said. “It’s not a macho message.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
