ABOUT

Translink are Northern Ireland's public transport provider across bus, coach and rail. In March 2022, they introduced contactless payment for the first time on Metro, their Greater Belfast bus service. Our job was to create anticipation, raise awareness and promote behavioural change across the service.

People embrace contactless payment because it’s fast, easy and safe. How do these features make you feel? Happy! So, we authored a new word and movement that introduced the required ‘Tap’ action whilst also describing the emotion a passenger enjoys when they use it. Tap + Happiness = Tappiness. The joy of contactless payment! Our campaign targeted firstly at motorists on main arterial routes and at traffic congestion points where escapism (and happiness) is the only release they are looking for from the current drudgery of their slow moving commute. And secondly, existing passengers at bus stops and onboard whose sole purpose for actual cash is probably the very journey they are on. Therefore, a vibrant (utilising our corporate Metro pink for ownership), uplifting and simple joint message and art direction was all that was required to nudge them towards a life of Tappiness.

Purpose: Our strategy was designed to promote and associate the quick, easy and secure benefits of contactless payment with the Metro brand, challenging existing travel habits and embedding this new behaviour into passengers’ routines. And.... we used the classic Ken Dodd ditty 'Happiness' to soundtrack our pitch.

Method of Output:
Using a number of media planning tools we identified, built and targeted three priority audiences: 1. All-adults in Belfast/Greater Belfast; 2. Metro service users; 3. Commuters. Mapping was extensively used to understand the potency of the mix of outdoor channels. To efficiently maximise reach against investment, we included bus and shelter wraps, back-of-driver-seat panels, supersides as well as 48 sheets and AdShel/AdShel Live formats.

Results:
Within 6 months contactless payments on Metro reached 1 million (in a population of just under 350,000) and campaign tracking delivered a cost per thousand of £2.62, demonstrating effective and value for money media planning and buying.