Washington, DC, June 2009 — As part of the growing frugality and coupon-clipping trends in this difficult economy, smart, frugal radio listeners confronted with gasoline prices at every turn are seeking ways to reduce their gasoline costs. 

The Alliance to Save Energy has tapped into this trend with five timely, humorous English and Spanish radio PSAs that offer money-saving gas tips and highlight the Drive Smarter Challenge interactive website with its hundreds of dollars worth of gas tips and additional resources. Particularly timely during the heavier summer driving season, the :60 and :30 PSAs are a significant feature of the fuel-efficiency campaign, also aimed at reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions:

• Tipping Point – A woman who has reached her coupon "clipping point" desperately needs help to save money on gas so that she can put food on the table. A news announcer "delivers breakfast" free for a year with the hundreds of dollars of savings from the tips.
• Baby Talk – A back-seat-driving baby boy starts talking for the first time and tells his mother how she can drive smarter and gain a diaper full of cash.
• Honey, I'm Home – A well-meaning husband brings a tire into the living room to remind his exasperated wife that just keeping their tires properly inflated could save a week's worth of gas.
• Hard of Hearing (El Sordito) – In a comical play on rhyming Spanish words, a hard-of-hearing father misunderstands his son's observations about a nearby driver who's wasting gas.
• The Mechanic (El Mecánico) – A woman visits a mechanic to fix her car because it's using too much gas and is surprised to find him looking at the tires and into the trunk versus under the hood for solutions.

And, of course, there is a coupon angle. Consumers who choose to take the Drive $marter Challenge — 1-6 fuel-efficiency driving and vehicle maintenance actions to help the pocketbook and the planet — can get a $10 off coupon for Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy motor oil.

CDs or MP3 files of English-language radio PSAs can be ordered through Tom Derreaux, PlowShare Group, Tom@PlowShareGroup.com or 203/425-3949, and Spanish-language radio PSAs through Rosa Mendoza, Hispanic Communications Network, rosa.mendoza@hcnmedia.com or 202/360-4114.