BRT Branding and Image

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BRT Branding and Image

• Cliff Henke
• Sr. Analyst, BRT and Small Starts
• PB TRS, Inc.
• APTA Bus Conference 2007

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Topics Today

• BRT Vehicle Image and Branding Overview
• Case Studies
• Branding Theory Applied Dos and Donts

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What is BRTA System of Components
All of these are important to brand!!
Vehicles
Running Ways
Stations Stops
ITS Fare Payment
Service Plan
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Recent DeploymentEugenes Green Line EmX

• 4 miles (60 exclusive RoW)
• 23.5 million project,
• Opened January 2007
• 46 ridership increase
• 6 hybrid advance-design NFI artics
• Branded as new spine

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Image Invites, But System Features Keep
Customers
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High-Comfort, Amenities

• Rear Window
• Multiple Doors
• Circulation
• Seat Comfort
• Fast Securement

• Interior Finish
• Large Windows
• Luggage Racks
• Information
• Grab Bars

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Survey Said Sleek, Modern Image Quiet Safe
New Flyer Invero i40 LF
NABI 42-BRT
NABI CNG 60 BRT
Stylized Artic
Stylized Std
Artic
Specialized
Standard
Gillig 40 BRT
Irisbus Civis
New Flyer Hybrid Electric 60DLF-BRT
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Image/Branding/Identity Frequent, Reliable
Service Increased Ridership
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Does Brand and Image Matter As Much as Other
Things?
Branding/Image Features
Outcomes
Falbel, Levinson et als Median 15 due to
image/branding
Estimate
Over Years
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Case study Las Vegas

• Service features
• Hi-tech French made Civis
• 5 mi exclusive lane
• Distinctive stations
• 12-20 min. headways, 17 hr./day
• Same fare, but pre-paid
• Image and brand essential in land of glitz
• Huge success, at least 3 more corridors planned

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LA Metro Rapid Incremental BRT

• Simple route layout easy to find/use
• Frequent 3-10 minutes during peak
• Fewer stops ¾ mile apart
• Level boarding (LF buses speed-up dwell times
• Enhanced stations maps, lighting, canopies,
  Next Bus displays
• Same fare
• Minimal investment
• Signal priority
• Passenger information
• Strong branding (buses, stations etc.)

• Results after demonstration
• 23-29 reduction in travel times
• 38-42 increase in riders/weekday
• 1/3 of total choice riders, Same cost

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28 routes, 450 miles by 2008
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Framework and Context

• 15 routes now in operation
• Newest to be launched in June
• Analyzed all MTA and Municipal Operator bus
  routes (250)
• Identified regional corridors (36)
• 500 boardings per route mile
• 10 mile route length
• Narrowed to 28 Corridors
• Transit use (passengers, weekends, travel time,
  average trip, load factor, etc.)
• Transit potential within .5 mile, activity
  ctrs., employment density on corridor
• Transit dependence poverty, 0 car homes
• Tiered branding system

• Results on 11 routes to date
• 15 average increase in riders/weekday
• 1/3 new riders are former auto commuters
• Same operating and very low capital cost

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Case study Leeds Overground

• Created to simplify use
• 10 min. headways max.
• Other new services added (ftr)
• Ridership increased, but serious brand confusion
  with London plans

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Advanced Branding TheoryBrands As Cults
(Douglas Atkin, The Culting of Brands)

• When Customers Become True Believers
• People join not to conform but to become more
  individualistic
• Brand is part of customers identity
• Examples
• Saturn? BMW? MB?
• Starbucks?
• Apple (Mac and iPod)?
• Certain (Online) games? Sports teams?
• Creating Cults
• Community
• Admirationeven devotion tobrand values
• Sense of shared mission/purpose, us vs. them
• Heirarchies onlookers, members, ubermembers

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Can public transportation cult its brand?

• Do you have devotees? (Club MAX)
• Is there a shared sense of purpose? (LACMTA)
• Is it a higher purpose? (Use your EIRs)
• Do you have distinct corporate and product
  values? Are they taught or discovered?
• Do you have community Do riders, workers,
  management, stakeholders share in it?
• Does the campaign end when the referendum passes?
• Is it bottom up or top down?

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Six Branding Myths(Matt Haig, Brand Failures)

• If a product is good it will succeed (Beta VCRs)
• Brands more likely to succeed (90 of brands die
  in 5 years80 after introduction)
• Big companies always have better brands (New
  Coke)
• Strong brands are built on advertising (ads can
  support but not build the brand)
• New will always sell (see 2)
• Strong brands protect products (reality strong
  products protect brands)

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10 Killer Branding Rules(David DAlessandro,
Brand Warfare)

• Its the Brand, Stupid Focus Like A Laser
• Create Co-dependency
• Great Messages, Bucking BroncosDont let go!
• Fight for Great Advertising
• Sponsorships Remember P.T. Barnum
• Dont Confuse Sponsorship with the Spectacle
• Crush Scandal 10 seconds can destroy a century
• Make Distributors Slaves to the Brand
• Use Your Brand to Lead to A Better Place
• The Brand Is Strategic Starts with the CEO

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We Can Be/Are Good At This!(In fact, this should
be a natural)

• Focus and Simplicity Go Gold
• Codependency Choice Riders Dependent TOD
• Great Messages, Bucking BroncosDont let go!
• Fight for Great AdvertisingMetro Rapid
  Billboards
• Sponsorships Remember P.T. Barnum
• Dont Confuse Sponsorship with the Spectacle
• Crush Scandal 10 seconds can destroy a century
• Make Distributors Slaves to the Brand
• Use Your Brand to Lead to A Better Place
• The Brand Is Strategic Starts with the CEO

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Branding Theory Applied Dos

• Be clear and consistent
• Choose branding that resonates
• Communicate a shared vision
• Create a community
• Lead with brand as symbol of vision
• Get CEO/Board Buy-In

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Branding Theory AppliedDonts

• Dont overpromise
• Dont undermine brand with service decisions
  later
• Dont forget to coordinate brand strategies
  (rail, bus, BRT) but
• Dont overcomplicate
• Dont be afraid of losing a little community
  control
• Dont let go
• Dont go/stay on vacation during crisis

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Suggested Branding Matrix Interrelated Techniques
Integrated Strategy Is Essential
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Conclusions

• Most successful systems have strong branding
• Largest System Performance Impacts
• Capacity (Vehicles Frequency Route Speed)
• Speed and Acceleration
• Reliability/On Time Performance
• Largest System Design Impacts
• Branding
• Vehicle Styling
• Cleanliness/Maintenance/Advertising Policy
• Driver/Customer Service Courtesy
• The Brand Invites Em, But Performance Keeps Em

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FTA Document Characteristics of BRT for Decision
Makerswww.fta.dot.gov
2002
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BRT Toolkitwww.weststart.org

• Publication tools for BRT planning
• WS-CS and industry resources
• Excellent outreach videos on branding
• Simple Solutions on Curitiba
• BTI video on Curitiba, Bogotá and Brisbane

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Thank you
www.pbworld.comwww.metro-magazine.com/brtwww.cal
start.org/brtwww.fta.dot.gov/brtwww.nbrti.orgww
w.gobrt.org