Edmonton Transit (ETS) – The Every Day Way

By Mack D. Male ·

As you may have noticed, Edmonton Transit (ETS) has launched a new marketing campaign in conjunction with the grand opening of the McKernan/Belgravia and South Campus LRT Stations. I’m not sure which agency created the concept (or if it was done in-house), but I love it!

The Every Day WayThe campaign uses simple, bold wording and color schemes to convey a simple message: ETS is the every day way.

This is the right message for ETS. They need to get across the idea that you can use public transit as part of your daily routine. That transit can fit into your life in a positive way!

So far I’ve seen three:

  • The every day way to go green with a new routine
  • The every day way to save $5500 a year
  • The every day way to South Campus

Here are some others that could work:

  • The every day way to save money on parking and gas
  • The every day way to achieve a less-stressful commute
  • The every day way to reach your destination safely
  • The every day way to the Edmonton Eskimos

A second stage of the campaign could have real people in the ads, to try to eliminate any negative perceptions attached to riding the bus. I’m thinking “The every day way for Don Iveson” with a photo of him, that kind of thing. They don’t all have to be local celebrities, but a few wouldn’t hurt!

So far I’ve seen the ads in fluorescent green and pink on bus shelters, benches, and billboards. I’d really love to see the campaign expanded to other mediums also. How about radio spots? Internet ads? It’s a simple message that can be shared very easily.

What do you think – does the new campaign hit the mark?

  • http://www.theoryofraffaella.blogspot.com Raffaella

    I’m thinking about a flickr group of people taking their own photo with a customised tagline

    ETS, the every day way for me! (Okay, not every day since I walk to work, but it’s transit the rest of the time)

  • http://blog.mastermaq.ca Mack D. Male

    Oooh I like that idea! Mine would have to be Twitter blue :)

  • http://www.twitter.com/britl Brittney

    The everyday way to push you closer towards buying a car.

    I love the design of these ads, but I feel the system has a long way to go. I hated taking the bus. The not knowing what time it would ACTUALLY show up (because posted times seem to be only suggestions). The rude people on the bus. The random smells… I’m just not a fan.

    I saw @ChrisLabossiere tweet yesterday that in 10 years he felt driving would be on the same level of ‘taboo’ as smoking. I don’t feel that’s the case for every city… especially not Edmonton. The LRT won’t be built going east to west until AT LEAST 2010, then it’ll be a few years to get that done. Bus service needs fixing, and then there’s the whole matter of getting people to give up the privacy and immediacy of cars for public transport.

    I’m sorry, I’m not convinced. I’ll more than likely be a driver probably for most of my life.

  • http://blog.mastermaq.ca Mack D. Male

    At least you’ve tried it Brit…so many people complain but haven’t even given it a shot. I agree there is lots of room for improvement, but I take the bus every day and it works great for me.

    I hope you’ve marked May 30th down in your calendar!

  • http://www.doniveson.ca/2009/04/21/ets-the-every-day-way/ Don Iveson :: Edmonton City Councillor, Ward 5

    [...] and transit booster MasterMaq has some excellent comments on the marketing campaign as well

  • http://blog.boora.ca Raj

    Until I can get from Leger to the University in less than an hour and have my total commute be less than 3h, I don’t think I’ll be taking transit any time soon. ETS needs to get the direct routes between hubs/LRT stops sorted before there is going to be any serious uptake.

    The Wifi buses are a start, but until employers are also transit friendly with start/end times, there has to be a rethink as to how early to start routes. There is no bus that leaves early enough for me to get to work for when I need to be there.

  • http://www.onlyhereforthefood.ca/ Sharon

    As a lifelong ETS user (whose commute in the morning is an hour long), I know first hand that many improvements can be made.

    I do think, however, that to change from driving to using public transport requires people to shift their habits, something not everyone is ready and willing to do: you have to leave for your destination earlier (ensuring enough time to account for early arrivals and to make transfers); you get used to walking a fair bit (no door-to-door service more often than not); and you learn quickly the necessity of dressing seasonally.

    At the end of the day, it’s about making public transportation a part of your lifestyle. That’s what the next phase of the campaign should capture.

  • http://www.eatinglifeup.com EatingLifeUp

    Totally love “The Every Day Way”!

    I ride the bus everyday to work and every spring I get a bit sad when I start to ride my bike or walk to work instead. I miss all the regulars on the bus and the convenience that I don’t actually have to wake up until I get to work because someone else is in control! I most love the bus when I walk outside and see my car covered in snow and other people scrapping their windows. All I have to do is get onto a warm bus.

  • Miyuru Fernando

    My car was hit by a semi’s trailer over reading week and turns out it was a write off. I dreaded taking the bus for everything, considering I live by Southgate Mall and work as a bartender downtown, among other things.

    Honestly though, I really like taking the bus. There’s so many positives that I never realised until I started taking it again (I’ve been driving everywhere since I was about 17-18…now 23).

    The most important thing is the fact that you’re not liable for accidents on the bus. Given my crappy car history (this and one past accident) I appreciate that piece of mind, especially in the winter.

    Second, GoogleMaps integration makes taking the bus SIMPLE, and it shows you just how much slower it really is than driving – often times for shorter trips the bus lags behind by about 10-15 minutes. For longer trips, the difference in time it takes to bus versus driving grows much much larger usually. Regardless, for your daily commute it’s quite fine IMO.

    Third, if you’re on a longer bus ride without a transfer it gives you some time for yourself to do whatever. Personally I started using my laptop on the bus, something I could never do while driving.

    There are downsides to the bus too, namely having to make your schedule fit with that of the bus, and hoping that the bus won’t be too late (or even worse, EARLY, which has happened very rarely for me).

    Regardless, it’s worth it especially during the school year if you have a U-Pass.

  • http://blogs.blogosphere.ca/mig14 Megan

    I’m with Brittney. Until it’s a more feasible option, I think that we in Edmonont are going to be forced to drive.

    We talked about Sobey’s Urban Fresh last weekend. It’s great that there’s one downtown and by the University. I have to drive a min of 20 minutes, or bus a min of 45 to get to either one. I’d rather drive.

  • Christinewills

    Hey there,

    Frankly I think the campaign falls a little short. It’s like preaching to the converted using a slogan like “The Every Day Way” since the people who relate to this ARE the ones using the service already. Second, I think it’s impersonal, a little corporate and uninteresting. The photos don’t really capture the mood of the experience or really have anything to do with transit in general besides stereotyping the kind of people who use ETS.

    I’m a design student at the U of A, and I’d love to get my hands on reimaging ETS. I think the smartest route would be to follow the EPL rebranding, which it seems you have also discussed. It’s a step for ETS, but I’d say, not a big enough one.