Kansas City BRT: Branding

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Kansas City BRTBranding Marketing Strategies

• July 22, 2008

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Photos Courtesy of Kansas City Convention
Visitors Association
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MAX Key Objectives

• Attract new riders to transit
• Operate like rail
• Stations rather than stops
• Unique identity
• Easy and convenient
• Reduce travel time 20
• Showcase technology
• Existing funding sources

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What Makes MAXBus Rapid Transit?

• Frequent, fast, convenient service
• Useable without consulting a schedule
• Serves key origins destinations
• Easy to use understand
• Especially for visitors those new to transit
• Higher level of passenger amenity
• Enhanced stations vehicles
• BRT components easily recognized distinguished
  from local bus

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Branding Objectives

• Improve image of public transit
• Unique branding
• Must be more than a name, a shelter and a bus
• Must positively influence the way people think
  about the bus
• Market like light rail without over promising
• Brand is the primary way to communicate improved
  service and encourage first-time use
• Increase ridership

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BRT AttributesWhat we wanted the brand to
communicate?

• Friendly
• Committed to delivering warm, friendly service
• Speaks to first-time user
• Vitality
• Exciting transportation alternative
• Distinguishes BRT from current Metro system
• Trustworthy
• Committed to reliable, safe transportation
• Community
• Committed to Kansas City, its people and its
  livelihood

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Whats In A Name

• Naming process
• 200 possible names generated
• Narrowed to 100 internally narrowed to 9
• Tested among users and non-users
• Narrowed to 2
• Tested online among users and non-users
• MAX was selected because it aligned most closely
  with key bus rapid transit attributes

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BRT As New Service From The Metro
KCATA
The Metro
MetroFlex
Regular Service
BRT
244 N KC MetroFlex
Main Street MAX
Troost Avenue MAX
57 South Oak
129 I-29 Express
New BRT
28XX I-435 S Express
Royals Express
New BRT
110 Woodland/Brooklyn
284 Purple Route
New BRT
173 Casino Cruiser
New BRT

• Benefits
• Public will understand how BRT works within the
  metro system
• Branding works with the Metro on shared shelters
• Upgrades the system without trying to be
  something its not

• Problems
• BRT will lose its chance to be something
  completely new and different from The Metro

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KCATA BRT Branding
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MAX Vehicle
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MAX Station
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MAX Marker Options
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Marker Information
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MAX Shelter Options
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Troost MAX Station
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Communication Strategies
Brand Awareness Events Public Information
Outreach
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Brand Awareness

• MAX is coming
• Progressive groundbreaking
• Building excitement

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Employee Unveiling
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Public Bus Unveiling Extreme Makeover
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Do The MAX Video
Convention Visitors Association Downtown
Dwellers Business Community Elected
Officials Civic Leaders Neighborhood Associations
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Launch Reception
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First Customers
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Front Page Kansas City Star
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MAX Satisfaction Extraordinary

• MAX corridor ridership up 50
• 29 of MAX riders new to transit
• MAX rated excellent on 20 factors
• Continue to survey monitor ridership

Hugh Clark, CJI Research, 2007
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Public Involvement Troost MAX Public Meetings

• Favorable MAX Brand Awareness
• Excitement at bringing MAX to Troost
• More station amenities
• Requests to Go Green with Troost MAX
• Hybrid buses
• Solar bollards trash compactors
• Recycling bins
• LED lighting
• Rain gardens impervious surfaces
• Assign GREEN to Troost

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Questions?