circulator rebranding project
DESCRIPTION
As part of the Masters of Communications program at The Johns Hopkins University. Final project for Advertising and Branding Class where we were asked to rebrand the local bus line.TRANSCRIPT
Final Group PresentationThe DC Circulator Bus
Elise Paul, and Megan Sigel
Goals and Objectives
• Increase ridership by 10% in the summer and 5% overall
• Increase awareness of the DC Circulator through targeted outreach and advertising
• Rebrand the Circulator as an easy, fun and convenient way to see DC
Hi! I’m the DC Circulator
Circulator Background
• Owned by a public-private partnership that includes the District of Columbia, Department of Transportation, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and the DC Surface Transit, Inc.
• 91.9% say they would recommend Circulator to a friend
• Established: July 2005
• Downtown Business Improvement District championed its implementation
Features and Benefits
• $1 for every ride
• 5 distinct routes
• Buses run every 10 minutes
• Later hours on weekends
• Cleaner, more comfortable buses
• Easily identifiable buses and stops
What else can you get
for $1?
Research Performed
• On-the-street interviews
• Circulator’s demographics
• Competitive Analysis
• Online Survey
On-the-street Interviews
• Three categories of interviews: locals, “local” tourists and tourists
• Of the locals, 66% had taken the Circulator at least once; 50% have taken the Circulator regularly
• None of the tourists had heard of the Circulator
• Reasons for not taking the bus: unfamiliar with the routes, perceive buses to be unreliable, inconvenient
• Reasons for taking the bus: like being able to see outside and inexpensive (tourists); routes are convenient and don’t have a car (locals)
• Tourists planned trips online (top reason) or by personal recommendation
Note: 18 in person interviews October 24, 2009
Field Research
Usage Demographics
Recreati
onal
Shop/Dine
Commute from W
ork
Work-R
elated
Commute from S
chool
37%
34.50%34%
26%
10%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Why do you ride the DC Circulator Bus?
Source: DCcirculator.com
Usage Demographics
Month by Month Average Usage:January – 11,537
February – 11,024
March – 14,944
Average length of trip:
< 5 Blocks
5-10 Blocks> 10 Blocks
July – 18,696
August – 19,334
September – 16,021
October – 16,483
November – 13,856
December – 13,310
April – 15,999
May – 11,537
June – 17,118
Source: DCcirculator.com
Competitive Analysis
Old Town Trolley Tours• “Frequent” pick up schedule
• Adult $35, Child $18 (1 day pass)
• 1 Route, includes 19 stops from Union Station to Chinatown
• Features: night tours
Washington DC Hop-On-Hop-Off Open-Top Double Decker Bus
• Arrives every 15 minutes
• Adult $42, Child $19.95
• 1 circulatory route starting at Union Station
• Best view from 14 feet up - and no windows on top
• Comfortable seats
• Entertaining and informative narration
• 2.5 hour full tour of Washington, DC
Metro Rail• 5 Major lines
• Variable cost: $1.35-$3.30
• Features: late hours Friday-Sunday
• No traffic
• Runs every 8-15 minutes
Metro Bus• Over 400 routes
– DC: 95
– MD: 202
– VA: 118
• Runs every 10-45 minutes
• Variable cost: $1.25-1.35
Online Survey• Over half of the respondents live in the Washington, DC metro area
(66%). This is our primary target audience. 34% of the respondents do not live in the DC area (34%). This is our secondary target audience (tourists).
• Almost all of the people (90%) who have ridden the Circulator said the experience met or exceeded their expectations.
• Of the people who have not ridden the bus, the most prevalent reason was that they had not heard of it. Others stated that they believed the routes or times were inconvenient or that they thought buses were unsanitary.
• People who rode the bus did so because they believed the price was right and the routes are convenient.
• Respondents most often heard about the bus from a personal recommendation or by seeing it on street.
Primary Audience• People who live in the DC metropolitan area
(DC, Virginia, and Maryland)
• In the last year 4.3 out of the 5 million people who live in the DC metro area have taken public transportation*
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the following percentages of residents commute via public transportation:
– 39% in DC
– 9% in MD
– 4% in VA
• DC is the second most traffic-congested city in the country**
Welcome to DC!
*Source: CBS Outdoor Advertising **Source: The Washington Post
Secondary Audience
• Tourists (including local tourists)
• A large population uses the bus for recreation (37%) or shopping (34.5%)
• 15 million people visit Washington, DC annually generating $5.24 billion dollars in revenue*
• The bus line highlights access to attractions, dining, shopping, and other attractions, making the tourist audience a natural target
*Source: Washington, DC Convention & Tourism Center website
Recommendations
• Messaging
• Branding
• Advertising Samples
• Media PlanLet’s get to work!
Key Messages
• Convenient: Five routes that run between DC’s hottest destinations, including sights, restaurants, museums and shopping
• Cheap: For only $1 per ride, the DC Circulator bus is the cheapest public transportation available
• Fast: Buses come every 10 minutes, so you’re never left wondering when your bus will arrive
Brand Personality & Essence
• Fun
• Hip
• Easy
• Friendly
Welcome!
The DC Circulator: Convenient, Cheap, and Easy
Brand Positioning Statement
For locals and tourists, the DC Circulator is the transportation option that delivers the least expensive, easiest, and most convenient way to see DC’s hotspots because it’s the only bus to offer five straightforward routes for $1 each
I’m cheap and easy.
Tagline
• Emphasizes how the Circulator’s routes hit all the major tourist and entertainment locations in DC
• Connecting reinforces the transportation element
• Hotspots refers to the core rebranding element of fun
Let’s hit the town!
CONNECTING DC’S HOTSPOTS
Website - Home Page
Website - Meet the Circulator
Website - Tours Page
Media Plan
Two aggregated psychographic audiences: Planners and Spontaneous Riders
Wall advertising (Spontaneous Riders)
For example, CBS outdoor has space at 2007 18th Street, NW, in Adams Morgan, available for advertising
As a stop on the Circulator line, Adams Morgan is a prime opportunity to grab spontaneous riders at a point where they could jump on the bus
Washingtonpost.com banner ads (Planners)
On average each washingtonpost.com user consumes more than 13 pages and spends more than 11 minutes1 per month on the site
More than 1.1 million video views per month
Online Banner Ads
Ad #1
Ad #2
Ad #3
Contributors
• Nicole: Creative Director, Content Developer
• Erin: Field Researcher, Content Developer, Presentation Developer
• Elise: Presentation Developer, Video Producer/Editor, Content Developer
• Megan: Field Researcher/Videographer, Presentation Developer