The New Mexico “Breaking Bad Habits” anti-litter campaign is set to launch its second chapter with a new commercial featuring the Salamanca Cousins, characters known from the television series Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. The ad will premiere at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 16, on YouTube channels belonging to both Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and the Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul franchise.
The campaign first began in October 2024 under Governor Lujan Grisham’s leadership, with Bryan Cranston reprising his role as Walter White in a public service announcement directed by Vince Gilligan, creator of Breaking Bad. Since its inception, the initial commercial has accumulated over 50 million views. Cleanup efforts linked to the campaign have led to more than 10,000 bags of trash being collected throughout New Mexico.
The latest phase of the campaign will continue through June 2026 and expand its reach through local broadcasts, connected TV platforms, social media outlets, and outdoor advertising such as billboards and bus wraps.
“If anyone can convince New Mexicans to think twice about littering it’s these scary dudes,” said Lujan Grisham. “It’s an exceptionally entertaining commercial that I know will accelerate the success of the Breaking Bad Habits campaign. I’m grateful to Vince Gilligan, actors Daniel and Luis Moncada, and Sony for their contribution to this campaign and for their commitment to keeping New Mexico beautiful.”
Residents are encouraged to report illegal dumping, participate in volunteer cleanup events, learn more about the initiative, and share their involvement on social media using #BreakingBadHabits and #KeepLitterOut. Additional information is available at www.breakingbadhabits.nm.gov.
Funding for this $2.9 million campaign comes from a special appropriation allocated to the New Mexico Tourism Department during the 2025 Legislative Session.
Breaking Bad was created by Vince Gilligan and produced by Sony Pictures Television. Both Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul were filmed in Albuquerque from 2007 until 2022. The show holds several accolades including sixteen Emmy awards and has been watched for more than two billion hours on Netflix between 2023 and June 2025 across over 190 countries.
