West Yorkshire Combined Authority: Bus Reform

How do you think buses should be run in West Yorkshire?

That was the question posed to everyone in West Yorkshire, regardless if they use the buses or not.

Buses are the primary mode of public transport in West Yorkshire with over 1.7 million bus journeys each week. However, the number of passenger journeys is in long term decline and there are industry challenges in the way the bus network is run.

Improving buses and making them the first choice for travel in West Yorkshire-not because people don't have cars, but because they are more affordable, convenient and better for the environment- is a priority for the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin.

As part of this major consultation for better buses in the region, The Ark Media were asked to get the message out far and wide.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the campaign were to:

- Promote the bus reform consultation across West Yorkshire, communicating primarily with bus users

-Encourage people to participate in the Bus Reform Consultation by registering on the Your Voice consultation platform

-Engage with under-represented groups who historically underreport in these public surveys: such as women, younger people and those from diverse backgrounds

Front page banners in community newspapers aimed to engage and resonate with local audiences.

Strategy and Execution

We used our expert knowledge of the West Yorkshire advertising landscape to achieve maximum impact, primarily targeting bus users and under-represented groups including women, under 35s, over 65s and ethnic minorities.

Advertising across all five districts of West Yorkshire (Calderdale, Kirklees, Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield), the strategy included:

-Digital billboard advertising on major arterial roads and motorways including the M621 and A64

 -Phone kiosk advertising situated in busy town centres and suburban areas offering a high dwell time for people to absorb WYCA's message

-Radio advertising on Heart to generate mass awareness, whilst using both radio ads and social media posts from Rhubarb and Sunrise Radio to target specific demographics and locations.

-Digital audio advertising, using DAX and Spotify, to target specific age demographics and postcode locations, whilst utilising contextual podcasts to increase advert relevance

-Newspaper front page advertising in publications targeting different areas of West Yorkshire including the Yorkshire Post and Telegraph and Argus

Phone kiosks delivered over 1.7 million impacts, reaching our target audiences in the heart of their communities.

Driving Change

Bus plays a vital role in West Yorkshire, getting people to places, connecting communities and shaping the economy. However, evidence shows that bus passengers face many challenges resulting in poor satisfaction and fewer bus journeys.

With the aim of directing the people of West Yorkshire to have their say on bus reform, we were able to create an integrated campaign across a wide variety of media types, reaching communities where they were and in a way that mattered to them.

Driven by insight and data, we created a targeted advertising campaign which alongside clear messaging raised awareness of the Bus Reform Consultation and directed West Yorkshire's population to the online consultation platform- Your Voice.

The success of this campaign allowed West Yorkshire residents to have their say on bus reform, ensuring that any decisions on bus reform are driven by and reflect their needs and views.

Spotify advertising reached 101,636 people, driving 429 clicks to the website