Stuck in traffic? Tired of the drive? Want to curb your emissions and cut your commute?
It’s time to try transit.
CUPE transit workers in British Columbia have launched a new out-of-home and social media campaign to help bring more people on board. And our team is excited to bring the campaign to life.
Transit ridership fell dramatically during the pandemic in cities across Canada and the US. And ridership still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels. After two years, many people are simply out of the habit of taking public transit.
That’s a big problem. Low ridership could mean more cuts to transit service. And that hurts people’s access to good jobs, education, and housing – and hurts the climate by keeping more vehicles on the road.
Major transit agencies – from Chicago to Toronto and New York City – have launched advertising campaigns to bring riders back. And now, CUPE Locals 4500 and 7000 in BC are taking action to help get more riders back on public transit in Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, and Victoria.
Together with CUPE and their members who work for SkyTrain, Coast Mountain Bus Company, and BC Transit, we’ve developed a campaign that speaks directly to drivers stuck in traffic. Billboards on major streets pose questions to drivers, reminding them of the many benefits of transit. It’s a natural contrast – between being stuck in gridlock or being on a moving train.
Multiple versions of the creative help keep the message fresh, no matter where you look. And our team developed a simple, easy-to-read design – with neon yellow accents that lend an industrial feel to the creative.
The design approach is purposefully clear and uncluttered to help convey the simplicity of choosing transit. Because practical, reliable, and simple is exactly the message we want to deliver.
Accompanied by an extensive campaign across social platforms, our layered tactics are reaching our audience multiple times throughout their commute and their day. Our social ads feature CUPE members prominently, showing the real faces of transit workers who help deliver a great service every day. It adds a human dimension and personalizes the campaign in a way that works particularly well for social platforms. And it reminds our audience that transit workers play a vital role in delivering the services that make our communities strong.
Want to talk about how we can protect and improve public services in your community? Give us a call. We’re here to help.