Consider this: in Brazil, Antarctica Beer transformed train turnstiles into beer-can reading machines, turning an Antarctica Beer into a free train ticket during the 2013 Rio Carnival. The innovation led to a volume increase of 86 per cent through the subway turnstiles, along with a 43 per cent drop in drink-driving. The company also recycled all the cans it collected.
In the UK, IKEA took to the indoor environments of Waterloo and Liverpool rail stations to demonstrate to commuters that they could make more of their outdoor spaces, that is, their gardens. A pop-up shop invited commuters to sit down and experience IKEA's range of outdoor solutions that could help them transform their outdoor space. The experiential activity was also supported using the Transvision screens (digital screen network) at Liverpool station.
In Shanghai, the same brand advertised its stackable filing cabinets in the metro stations by wrapping the metro columns to take the shape of the boxes. Price tags were also part of the wrap, making each column look like an actual product display.
These are just three of many examples from around the world of innovative ambient branding solutions in the rail transport environment, whether one talks of train branding, subway/station branding or even experiential marketing in the transport environment. Now Mumbai Metro One, the metro service that will launch in Mumbai towards the end of March 2014, is set to join the ranks, in partnership with Times OOH.
Mumbai Metro One possesses Rs 15 crore worth of media assets - sure to get media planners sit up and take notice. Among the various properties are static signs at the platform and concourse - both 'high dwell time' places - wraps at the entry and exit gates, a connected digital network across all nine stations, allowing brands to weave a story through a commuter's journey, branding the backside of train passes/tickets, branding passage gates, train wrap branding delivering 18 million eyeballs in a month.
Brands also have the opportunity to obtain station naming rights for a minimum period of five years to begin with. While globally, this is a common phenomenon (and particularly common in the UAE), Vodafone only recently experimented with it in India with the Rapid Metro in Gurgaon. Station naming gives a brand various opportunities for name signage at the entry point and numerous exits, apart from branding across the station. In addition to this, the station can be fully designed in the brand's trademark colours. Then, there are exposure opportunities with public announcements in and outside the train, as well as on the Mumbai Metro One website.
Mumbai Metro One will also allow for branding inside the trains with a twist: it will facilitate digital movies/upcoming movie trailers and TVCs in the train, akin to what is currently taking place in BEST buses in Mumbai, but with more sophisticated technology. Unlike metro stations abroad, Mumbai Metro doesn't provide opportunities for touch-screen digital displays currently, but plans are afoot to introduce these in the years to come to catch up with global trends. When this happens, it can also give augmented reality options, in addition to downloading coupons/content on mobile phones using virtual means.
If one thinks innovatively, much more can be done. In London, United Airlines did this a while ago: when it wished to promote the comfort of its aircraft, it converted the rail route to look like an airport, notwithstanding the damp and boring tunnels. It will be worthwhile to see if India can match up or, ambitiously, even outdo global commuting-branding efforts.
