New York Sanitation Department Puts a Suitcase-Toting Rat on 3.5 Million Mailers
To promote a shift in trash setout times, the city's sanitation department mailed out fliers starring an oversized rat, a design that came about because the commissioner kept demanding a bigger rodent.
By Jacob Leary · · Originally reported by Gothamist
A nameless rat carrying a blue suitcase and wearing a wistful look has become the newest rodent star in New York City. The animal appears on 3.5 million fliers that the city's sanitation department has been mailing to homes over the past few weeks.
"Send Rats Packing!" the flier says, followed by a notice that trash setout times will change on Saturday. Under the new rule, residents may not put garbage bags out until 8 p.m. The city hopes that shortening the time bags sit on sidewalks will limit rats' access to a possible food source.
The 4-inch-tall rat on the mailer quickly caught New Yorkers' eyes. "I cracked up as soon as I pulled that flyer [sic] out of my mailbox," one person tweeted. Another suggested the rodent simply needed a rest, writing that rats probably "clamor for a break from the 'rat race' every now and then, just like us."
The choice to cast a hated pest in a friendlier light traces back to Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who wanted the $1 million outreach campaign to "catch people's attention," according to department spokesperson Joshua Goodman, who answered questions by email.
The first draft did not meet that bar. Goodman said an early version focused heavily on the details of the rules, with the rat "as an aside, almost scurrying underfoot." Over several weeks, he said, Tisch repeatedly came to his office with the same instruction: make the rat bigger. Later visits brought variations, including a complaint about too much green space on the page. She also texted him messages that read, "I want a BIG RAT." The rat eventually grew large enough to dominate the mailer, and Tisch was satisfied, Goodman said.
The mailer fits a pattern of playful messaging at the department. Its TikTok videos promoting the city's compost program feature a grinning, human-sized brown compost bin in glasses dancing around City Hall.
Tisch said in a statement that the tone is deliberate and meant to bring some joy to subjects that can be unpleasant or disgusting. "We're making huge changes to the way New Yorkers interact with 24 million pounds of waste every day, and that means we need people's attention," she said. "In our line of work, we can do that two ways: We can shock people with how gross it is, or we can delight them with how fun it is."
She added that the department wants trash to stay on people's minds but off the streets, which is the purpose of the new setout times.
Goodman said the memorable rat should help residents remember the rule change, while also poking fun at the idea of the rodent heading off on a spring break trip. "We're thrilled that so many people love the rat, and we hope he has a great time in Boca, Boston or wherever he's headed – as long as it isn't here," he said. He also anticipated one question: "before you ask, I don't know what's in the suitcase."
