MBTA: Morning Bus Service Pilot Program

Branding

Advertising

Campaign Design

Digital Marketing

Techology Strategy

The MBTA strives to deliver the services that riders need most - across rail, subway, bus, and ferry transport. Our work with MBTA has included serveral campaigns designed to support the MBTA's efforts to expand services.

Image of a map with the MBTA Early morning services as icons

01

Objective and Target Audience:

Drive awareness and support rider adoption during pilot period of new service designed to alleviate crowding and providing better alternatives to ridesharing, taxis, and parking. Specific audience included:

Customers who currently rely on more expensive options for getting to Boston before dawn
Neighborhood-specific messaging for Dorchester, Mattapan, Chelsea, Revere, and East Boston
Non-native English speakers

02

Challenge:

Educate riders who often turned to alternative modes of transport - including ride sharing - about the launch of early-morning service without causing confusion about the route changes, frequency changes, and other complexities associated with the new early-morning schedules.

03

Relevant Data and Research

Our team dove deep, working closely with the client to identify the user requirements that would inform the new site architecture. Specifically, we had to research and analyze the needs of multiple global affiliates and their audiences to ensure the site delivered value for an increasing numbers of users who accessed it via a mobile device, not a traditional computer desktop.

04

Solution and Execution:

Alipes developed the messaging strategy, creative identity, and creative assets for the early morning pilot program—including the “When you rise, we shine” copy that was translated into three languages, tailored to specific neighborhoods, and rolled out across MBTA stops and stations in neighborhoods from Dorchester and Mattapan to East Boston and Revere. We also developed communications collateral, including FAQs and landing page copy.

In addition, Alipes developed and executed on a paid media campaign that extended the impact of early morning messaging beyond the MBTA’s own digital and print assets.

05

Results

“Marketing effort has been successful” - from June 2018 presentation to the FMCB

In a survey of frequent MBTA riders, 52% had heard of early morning service
33% of frequent riders familiar with Early Morning service learned about it from digital boards and announcements in stations and 15% from MBTA website/social media
Mobile user response was 6x higher than site benchmark
2.37% of users scrolled to interact with the expandable ad unit, indicating interest and intent (above average engagement benchmark of 1.45% - 2.60%)
Social delivered 150 post shares and 250 new brand follows
Polls drove an 8% engagement rate (benchmark 1.90%)
East Boston, Chelsea, and Revere neighborhood drove highest traffic to site
3MM impressions in market, over 18K user responses, 14K of those were banner clicks (mobile drove the bulk of the clicks)

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