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Oct 09, 2012
Marketing Issues

The Classic Cable Car Fight Sequence

If you’re confused why some people are scared of the idea of cable cars and gondolas as mass public transit, you need only to take a glance at Hollywood to get a better understanding. Take this unbelievably absurd scene from the James Bond film Moonraker: In it, James Bond and his Bond Girl of Choice...

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Sep 26, 2012
Marketing Issues

Where Ridiculous Cable Cars Meet Logical Cable Transit

Superficially, the internet is largely driven by novelty and short attention spans. Sure you can delve into any bizarre niche you wish with as much depth as possible, but most people are just happy to discover that there are, indeed, cats out there who wants a cheezburgers. That’s why link-bait is so important to so many...

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Sep 18, 2012
Marketing Issues

Is This The Best Bus Commercial Ever?

In our ongoing effort to catalogue the best, the worst and the middling of public transportation marketing, we bring to you what is arguably the most “epic” bus commercial ever. Behold, Denmark’s Midttrafik:

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Sep 04, 2012
Marketing Issues

Public Transit Psychology: Anti-Social Behaviour on Buses

Most humans are social creatures – we enjoy the company of others (typically) and others enjoy our company. However, anyone who rides public transit on a regular basis knows that chatting it up with a stranger or sitting next to someone on an empty bus are pure violations of an unspoken set of social rules....

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Aug 16, 2012
Marketing Issues

Marketing Public Transit & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (LA’s Blue Line 1990s)

Public transit agencies are typically not known for their marketing prowess. Over the years, we’ve seen a variety of approaches ranging from the RTD’s comic books (as discussed yesterday) to the sexy bus ads created by Norway’s NetBuss. We’ve always felt that the movie industry, instead of portraying public transport in a negative light, could do a lot more to...

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Aug 15, 2012
Just For Fun, Marketing Issues

Denver’s “Amazing Adventures in Public Transit” Campaign

Mike sends along the following scan a direct mail advertisement from Denver’s Regional Transportation Authority. You can see the full narrative after the jump:

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May 24, 2012
Marketing Issues

Angry Birds Cable Car – Singapore Cable Car

If you happen to be fan of both the Angry Birds video game and cable cars, you may wanna book a trip to Singapore as soon as possible. The Singapore Cable Car has just redesigned and retrofitted 30 of their cabins to celebrate the opening of an Angry Birds theme park on Mount Faber. Upon arrival...

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May 14, 2012
Innovations, Marketing Issues, Thoughts

Why Wheeled Luggage Is Important

Ask yourself a quick question: How long have suitcases, trunks and luggage existed for? The answer – of course – is almost hopelessly elusive. Luggage, in some form, has been around since humans have been travelling. Knowing when the first person slapped together an ancient ancestor of Samsonite is impossible to determine. But we can...

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Apr 12, 2012
Marketing Issues

Norway’s Nettbuss – Is This The Sexiest/Best Bus Commercial Ever?

One of the things we often talk about around these parts is the public outreach and marketing aspect of public transportation and how it so often falls short of being effective. A few personal favourites: What lessons might we learn from the Beta/VHS format wars of the 1980’s? Is public transit more like dinner party...

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Sep 19, 2011
Marketing Issues

Urban Gondola Transit Is Ridiculous

Of course it is. You know that. I know that. We know that. Everyone knows that. That’s why it’s important to start from there. Start from ridiculous. (Note: This applies to any good idea that happens to look ridiculous from an outsider’s perspective.) As people, we’re more easily swayed by those that share a similar...

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