Marketing Issues

16
Aug

2012

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 promote the benefits of riding mass transit.

So what happens when a metropolitan transit agency collides with the hottest cartoon show in the 90s? I present to you, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles riding LA’s Blue Line.

 

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Despite the obvious cheesiness of this video, it was apparently partly responsible for increasing attention and awareness of the system. For example, ridership on opening day was reportedly 3x the initial estimates.

Regardless of what happen, I think the SCRTD was onto something inventive. Their idea of using pop culture icons to promote a new transit system was experimental and innovative. The idea and concept was there, but the execution needed some refinement.

The potential for other transit agencies to learn from this could be enormous. Imagine what would happen if, let’s say, Justin Bieber collaborated with the Toronto Transit Commission on a promotional video for the city’s Eglinton Crosstown LRT?

On second thought, maybe that wasn't sucha good idea afterall. Image by Flickr user NRK P3.



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Marketing Issues
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15
Aug

2012

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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Just For Fun / Marketing Issues
2
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24
May

2012

Angry Birds Cable Car – Singapore Cable Car

Angry Bird gondola cabin. Image from CNNGo.com

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.

Guests riding the gondola will receive a complementary Angry Birds face mask and mocktail. Image from singaporecablecar.com.sg.

Upon arrival to the theme park, guests can participate in an Angry Birds game booth. To add to the “bizarreness” during June, three of the cabins will, “depict the Angry Birds chasing after an evil green pig“. What exactly that means I have no idea, but if somehow one of our loyal readers does happen to be in Singapore at that time please let us know.

While this design theme may appear silly at first, I think this is another great example of how cable car operators can use a CPT system as a marketing tool. This attracts attention and garner interest in the system. An urban gondola applying similar marketing principles may also spur additional ridership.

The reason I say this is because as we’ve discussed in the past, adding a bit of fun to transit greatly impacts people’s interest in public transport.

In the meantime, for more information and pictures about this promotional event, check out the Singapore Cable Car Facebook page here.



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Marketing Issues
2
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14
May

2012

Why Wheeled Luggage Is Important

Image by flickr user Andrew Stawarz.

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 make a reasonable guess and assume luggage has been around for at least a few thousand years – probably more. I don’t think anyone would challenge that assertion.

Now ask yourself a second quick question:

When did someone decide to put wheels on luggage? The answer might surprise you.

Bernard D. Sadow holds the United States’ first patent for “Rolling Luggage” and it was issued in 1972. The so-called “Rollaboard” with telescoping handle, meanwhile, was invented in 1987 by Robert Plath.

In other words, what are arguably the two greatest innovations in the industry of personal material transport only occurred within the last 40 years – for a product/industry that’s existed for thousands of years.

Weirder still? Fashioning a wheeled trunk or suitcase requires little in the way of advanced mechanics, technology or know-how. It simply required wheels. Your 8 year old cousin could build one over the course of a Sunday afternoon. There’s no genius involved here.

I mention this solely to remind people how long change can take – and how utterly illogical the innovation process can be.

For every Google, Apple and Facebook that conquers the world in what seems like a heartbeat; there are those innovations, ideas and technologies that take (quite literally) millennia to come into being. Cable transit (to bring this back to home) has existed since at least 250 B.C. Strangely though, we’ve only started seeing it within the last generation as actual public transit.

The key is to understand the market conditions that (dis)favour your idea, technology or product and figure out if what you’ve got is wheeled luggage or Facebook. Likely, you’ve got something somewhere in between those extremes and it’s essential to understand how close to uptake the idea is – then plan your strategies and tactics accordingly.



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Innovations / Marketing Issues / Thoughts
1
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12
Apr

2012

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:

I once even suggested without a hint of sarcasm that we might even be able to spur transportation ridership simply by engaging Hollywood to make movies that flatter public transportation and make it look cool.

But generally speaking those are higher level concerns that don’t tend to deal with the most rudimentary of marketing techniques: The advertisement.

For the life of me, I can’t actually think of a billboard, sign or commercial promoting public transportation that actually captivates my attention; makes me smile, laugh and feel good about myself; and actively makes me want to support and use public transit. If anyone knows of one, please post it in the comments because I’m drawing a blank. And remember: I say that as a lifetime non-driver and public transportation user.

And then our own Julia Padvoiskis sends me a link to a Norwegian bus commercial that defies everything I just said and is just about the most wonderful transportation commercial I’ve ever seen.

Now before we go any further, I should mention that 4 seconds of the commercial contains (starting at the 1:46 mark) mild nudity and sexual content that may be considered offensive by some and should be treated as NSFW. As such, while I’d prefer to embed the video directly on this page, I understand certain people may not be amused by the offending parts of the video particularly as public transportation tends to be administered by public government agencies.

Nevertheless, the video is incredibly charming, sexy, heart-warming and does everything a good advertisement for public transportation should – namely, it makes one want to ride it now.

After you’ve viewed it, please come back to us to discuss your thoughts about the commercial; how it made you feel and think about public transportation; and if you think the 4 seconds in question took things a little too far.

I’d genuinely love to hear people’s thoughts on this.

Take a look. 



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Marketing Issues
7
Comments
19
Sep

2011

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 perspective as we do. Common experiences, thoughts, opinions and world views act as the lubricant for ideas to move from person-to-person, brain-to-brain.

The opposite is also true: We’re more than likely going to resist any new idea shared by someone whose perspective on the world is radically different than our own – even if that idea happens to be sound and logical. Notice, if you will, how well Republicans and Democrats listen to each other’s ideas.

So trying to convince someone that gondolas can be used as public transit when they’ve never considered the possibility in the first place is going to be next to impossible. Chances are they’ll think the idea is – you guessed it – ridiculous.

So don’t start with gondolas as urban transit. Start, instead, from the perspective that urban gondolas are ridiculous. Of course they’re ridiculous. We’re talking about using ski lifts as public transit!

Start from where the other person already is then lead them to where you are. Of course urban gondolas are ridiculous. Now let me show you why they’re not.

(Again: This goes for any idea outside the mainstream. Accepting that you’re outside the mainstream will get you halfway to where you want to be because it allows you to better align yourself to those you’re trying to convince.)



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Marketing Issues
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10
Aug

2011

EcoCities and Cable: Tianjin Ecocity (Photos Summer 2011 Status)

On a recent trip to China, I had the opportunity to visit a site that few planners outside of China have yet to see. First announced in 2008, Tianjin Ecocity is a large, ecological development designed to encourage sustainable building and living practices and promote future “green” developments. Not to mention this is possibly the dream project of every modern day planner.

Located about a 90 minutes drive from the city centre, this model of sustainable urbanization is currently being built from scratch on 30 square kilometers of prime real estate. Upon completion in 2020 it is expected to house 350,000 residents, while some residents will be able to move in as early as next year.

However, 2020 is a long ways off. As we’ve seen in the past many ecocities fail to materialize (i.e. Dongtan in Shanghai) over time. So… is this place really being constructed?

You bet it is! Check it out:

Cranes, cranes galore. This is what you first see at when you drive in to Tianjin... or really any major Chinese city. Image by Nick Chu.

EcoCity proudly welcomes you. A joint venture between the Chinese and Singaporean governments. Image by Nick Chu.

I was taken aback when I realized that the EcoCity acts as a tourist site for families. Has eco-consciousness finally reached the masses in China? Or is it simply a new fad? Image by Nick Chu.

As expected, solar panels are just about everywhere you look. Image by Nick Chu.

National Animation Industry Park. Image by Nick Chu.

You can’t possibly have an EcoCity without jobs. So here it is, the National Animation Industry Park – a massive building that is expected to house over 180 animation companies. Anecdotal evidence suggests a lot of nearby industries are already in operation as well.

But what’s a city without homes? Check out these model suites! Pretty sweet patio, eh? Let’s see what’s inside… Image by Nick Chu.

Nicely decorated! Look at the furnishings… admittedly, it wasn’t what I'd expect in the middle of China. Image by Nick Chu.

Of course, living sustainably will set you back a couple of bucks – how does $300,000 USD for a 1500 square foot unit sound? Still thinking of buying one? You may be out of luck. The sales agent we spoke to told us that many units are already sold and are off the market! Keep in mind, an average migrant worker in China makes 20,280 yuan per year or $3200 USD so owning a home here is really only a pipe dream for the majority.

A model of the EcoCity. Image by Nick Chu.

As for transportation, they’re aiming for 90% of travel via sustainable forms of transport including public transit, walking and biking. A light rail system is will provide service to the entire site.

Seeing that cable is one of the most non-intrusive, most energy-efficient and most cost-effective forms of transport, if more eco-cities are planned in the future, I think gondola technology can undoubtedly offer exciting opportunities for additional multi-modality networks. In fact, with many eco-cities either being planning or currently being built from the ground up, this is a great time for cable transit to showcase it’s flexibility and versatility. Perhaps, an eco-city could utilize CPT to act as and/or complement its trunk lines. The cable industry should recognize these trends and not stand idly by. The more successful and prominent cable systems there are in the world, the more recognition and respect the technology will gain as a staple urban transport option.



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Cable Transit Industry / Marketing Issues / Questions
0
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