3000 kilometers of memories
Public transport Jung von Matt/Limmat emotionalizes the SBB brand with coherent poster subjects.
Public transport Jung von Matt/Limmat emotionalizes the SBB brand with coherent poster subjects.
Last year, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) did not always run smoothly on the rails: Breakdowns, delays and accidents overshadowed the operating year. Nevertheless, SBB achieved a customer satisfaction rate of over 80 percent in a cash survey conducted in December. Ruth Mathias, Head of Marketing Communication at SBB, also confirms this high level of satisfaction. Life stations
The railroad performs even better in terms of awareness: everyone, i.e. around 100 percent, knows SBB. This is hardly surprising, given that the Federal Railways transport over 300 million passengers every year. Measured against the rather modest 3000 kilometers of the public transport network - 22,000 kilometers in total - this is a strong performance: around 87 percent of passenger kilometers travelled are on SBB trains.
The creative agency Jung von Matt/Limmat (JvM) has taken advantage of the fact that everyone who lives in Switzerland has sat in an SBB carriage at some point and associates it with very personal memories for its current image campaign. "We turn stops into stations in life, because everyone has a very personal connection to SBB," explains Rolf Helfenstein, JvM consulting group manager. Compared to other countries, the railroad is very strongly anchored in Switzerland and closely linked to the blue station signs.
Whether on their first school trip, a trip to an open-air concert or a romantic vacation in the mountains: the blue signs with the red and white logo accompany travelers through Switzerland. The creative team used exactly these signs as a key visual for the poster display that started at the end of January. Instead of SBB stops, they feature stations in life such as "Discovery", "Escape" or "Beginning". These are the only reference to SBB as the sender. Those responsible are convinced that the key visual will "inevitably be associated with the railroad" and have decided not to use it.
therefore on headline, copy or sender.
By and for people "We want to focus on people," says Ruth Mathias and specifies: "People, i.e. our employees, are behind SBB, and it is also people that we transport." The national image campaign is intended to stimulate the SBB brand emotionally by the third quarter of 2004.
In the last quarter of this year, a continuation will be used in view of the completion of the first stage of Rail 2000 (see box). The emotional values are to be replaced by "hard facts" about the expansion of services.
Rail 2000The Rail 2000 concept, which came into force in 1987 with a federal decree, aims to improve rail services nationwide.
public transportation: Shorter travel times, fewer changes, half-hourly intercity services, new trains and stations. In 1994, due to the underestimated budget, a division of the
project. The first stage should be completed by the end of 2004. This includes, among other things, the second double track
Zurich-Thalwil, conversion and expansion of Zurich station and the new Mattstetten-Rothrist line.
The costs amount to around CHF 5.5 billion, CHF 1.5 billion less than budgeted. The service concept for the second stage is currently being drawn up by the Federal Office of Transport and SBB and is expected to go out for consultation in 2005. (sk)
A big station for SBB passengers: the new SBB campaign aims to further strengthen public sympathy.
Public transport life stations: With its new campaign, SBB is fully on the romantic track >> page 13
Simone Keller
Last year, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) did not always run smoothly on the rails: Breakdowns, delays and accidents overshadowed the operating year. Nevertheless, SBB achieved a customer satisfaction rate of over 80 percent in a cash survey conducted in December. Ruth Mathias, Head of Marketing Communication at SBB, also confirms this high level of satisfaction. Life stations
The railroad performs even better in terms of awareness: everyone, i.e. around 100 percent, knows SBB. This is hardly surprising, given that the Federal Railways transport over 300 million passengers every year. Measured against the rather modest 3000 kilometers of the public transport network - 22,000 kilometers in total - this is a strong performance: around 87 percent of passenger kilometers travelled are on SBB trains.
The creative agency Jung von Matt/Limmat (JvM) has taken advantage of the fact that everyone who lives in Switzerland has sat in an SBB carriage at some point and associates it with very personal memories for its current image campaign. "We turn stops into stations in life, because everyone has a very personal connection to SBB," explains Rolf Helfenstein, JvM consulting group manager. Compared to other countries, the railroad is very strongly anchored in Switzerland and closely linked to the blue station signs.
Whether on their first school trip, a trip to an open-air concert or a romantic vacation in the mountains: the blue signs with the red and white logo accompany travelers through Switzerland. The creative team used exactly these signs as a key visual for the poster display that started at the end of January. Instead of SBB stops, they feature stations in life such as "Discovery", "Escape" or "Beginning". These are the only reference to SBB as the sender. Those responsible are convinced that the key visual will "inevitably be associated with the railroad" and have decided not to use it.
therefore on headline, copy or sender.
By and for people "We want to focus on people," says Ruth Mathias and specifies: "People, i.e. our employees, are behind SBB, and it is also people that we transport." The national image campaign is intended to stimulate the SBB brand emotionally by the third quarter of 2004.
In the last quarter of this year, a continuation will be used in view of the completion of the first stage of Rail 2000 (see box). The emotional values are to be replaced by "hard facts" about the expansion of services.
Rail 2000The Rail 2000 concept, which came into force in 1987 with a federal decree, aims to improve rail services nationwide.
public transportation: Shorter travel times, fewer changes, half-hourly intercity services, new trains and stations. In 1994, due to the underestimated budget, a division of the
project. The first stage should be completed by the end of 2004. This includes, among other things, the second double track
Zurich-Thalwil, conversion and expansion of Zurich station and the new Mattstetten-Rothrist line.
The costs amount to around CHF 5.5 billion, CHF 1.5 billion less than budgeted. The service concept for the second stage is currently being drawn up by the Federal Office of Transport and SBB and is expected to go out for consultation in 2005. (sk)
A big station for SBB passengers: the new SBB campaign aims to further strengthen public sympathy.
Public transport life stations: With its new campaign, SBB is fully on the romantic track >> page 13
Simone Keller
