Like a lot of kids, Tim McClure received regular reminders from his mom to clean his bedroom. The advertising executive, who grew up in Corsicana and now lives in Austin, vividly recalled those admonitions in 1985 when he developed one of the most memorable taglines of all time: “Don’t mess with Texas.”
The award-winning ad campaign urging careless folks to stop littering on Texas highways just marked its 40th anniversary. Its iconic slogan dawned on McClure during an early-morning stroll when he observed roadside refuse in his neighborhood that made him think of his messy room.
“ ‘Don’t mess with Texas’ was a battle cry that reached into the DNA of all Texans,” McClure says, “reminding them that they take great pride in their state. Litter is the antithesis of that sense of pride. Once reminded, Texans did what Texans do—we changed our behavior to reflect our commitment.”
“Don’t mess” enjoyed overnight success thanks to bumper stickers followed by a slew of TV spots starring Texan celebrities eager to enlist in the battle against litter.
In December 1985, stickers with just those four iconic words and a small Texas flag mysteriously appeared on pickup trucks across the Lone Star State. The stickers targeted a key demographic: young Texan men accustomed to jettisoning trash out of their pickups instead of stashing it in proper receptacles.
Then on New Year’s Day 1986, in a TV spot that resembled a music video that aired during the Cotton Bowl, blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan played a rousing rendition of The Eyes of Texas, then punctuated it with those simple but powerful words: “Don’t mess with Texas.”
Almost immediately, viewers called their local stations wanting more.
That was the beginning of dozens of “Don’t mess” messages. “I’m very proud of them all, but the first, featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan, is my sentimental favorite,” says McClure, the M in GSD&M, the Austin powerhouse ad agency that led the campaign.
Other notable Texans who appeared in “Don’t mess” commercials included Johnny Dee and the Rocket 88’s, Dallas Cowboys Randy White and Ed “Too Tall” Jones, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Little Joe y La Familia, Willie Nelson, and the Texas Tornados. An animated spot starring SeaWorld orca Shamu and three penguin sidekicks—the Texas Tuxedos—urged kids not to litter.
Today, the Texas Department of Transportation carries on “Don’t mess,” with downloadable activity books for kids at dontmesswithtexas.org, lesson plans for teachers and scholarships for students who take on environmental projects.
“Litter on Texas roads was reduced by 63% from 2013 to 2023,” says Marc D. Williams, TxDOT executive director. “This shows our messaging is working, especially as the population grows. But we still have work to do. More than 360 million pieces of litter accumulate on Texas roads every year, with cigarette butts and beverage containers among the most common items.”
McClure believes Texas pride continues to be at the heart of the four-decade success of “Don’t mess.”
“We Texans are a proud bunch,” he says. “Proud of our state. Proud of our colorful past. Excited about the future ahead of us. Some things you simply don’t mess with!”
