It’s been another interesting week of Politics in the UK. Student fees aside, yesterday one thing that caught my eye in the news was the launch of the Routemaster launched by London’s Mayor, Boris Johnson. The slick new look bus was designed by design guru Thomas Heatherwick. The plan is the new Routemaster will replace the old style ‘Bendy Buses’ that ex-Mayor Ken Livingston implemented, with a leaner and greener bus modelled on the old style Routemaster. The BBC reports that the new look bus is Hybrid Powered and will reduce carbon emissions by as much as ‘40% less than a conventional diesel bus’.
Engaging your audience
Yet Londoners can be a tough audience. How will they take to new look bus? Will they perceive it as a waste of money in the current economic climate? The Mayor has considered this by asking Londoners to name the bus themselves.
This is a nifty communication move for a number or reasons:
1) Most Londoners are well aware that there was a desire to keep the old Routemasters
Not only were they an iconic design but they were great to hop on and off of. Somehow travelling around London just isn’t the same without seeing the old style 38 bus at Angel.
2) The bendy buses had a lot of bad PR ..
We won’t mention the spontaneous combustion issues or the problems they had navigating tiny London roads.
3) Engaging with your target audience is more likely to result in their loyalty
Think of most big campaigns e.g. 10:10, Make Poverty History, Live Aid, all of which gave audiences a chance to engage and interact with the campaigns and so spread the word about them and create brand loyalty.
One to Watch
So this story looks like one to watch. What will it be called and how will it be received?
Want to have your say, find out more or name that Bus?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/mindthegap/2010/11/_what_i_saw_today.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/london/hi/people_and_places/newsid_9180000/9180067.stm
