SwissPass Smile, TBWA\Zurich and Unic launch MärliTrax
The TBWA\Zurich and Unic agencies want to make train travel magical for younger passengers with the new MärliTrax from SwissPass Smile, the public transport program for families and young people.
At some point during a long train ride, children only want one thing: to play with their cell phones. Although parents know that staring into the smartphone is not the best solution, it often remains the only one when it comes to enjoying a relaxing ride.
With MärliTrax, SwissPass Smile wants to improve the travel experience for everyone. Fairy tale podcasts are intended to transform the passing landscape into a stage for exciting stories.
An interactive experience
Each tale is inspired by a particular train route in Switzerland and written to fit it. Through geotargeting, castles, mountains and rivers you pass become part of the audio plays in real time. Depending on where you board, even the fairy tale length changes modularly.
The view from the train window is linked with audio content. A child's imagination can transform it into a completely new and interactive experience. For example, children travel from Basel with Topolina to Chiasso in search of El Dorado. At Lake Geneva, they rescue the fairy kingdom from Lake Geneva with young Amelie.
New stories all the time
The launch took place in summer 2019 with a first tale from St. Gallen to Geneva. New routes and stories are now being added all the time. By the end of the year, 12 more self-written fairy tales are to follow.
Responsible at SBB: Dominic Lüthy (Product Owner SwissPass Smile); Marion Renn (Communications Manager Children and Youth Marketing); Dominique Eggel (Communications Manager). Responsible at TBWA\Zurich: Manuel Wenzel (Executive Creative Director); Ennio Cadau, Johnny Grubenmann (Text); Caroline Widemann, Katharina Binder (Art Direction); Nadja Stickl, Chantal Szabo, Evelyn Möbius (Consulting); Sasha Djabbari (Digital Direction). Responsible at UnicAlexander Farkas, Jeroen Smit (frontend development); Thomas Zbinden, Tobias Fink (backend development); Katrin Ulmer (coordination). Responsible at Jingle Jungle: Federico Bettini, Gabriel Bonomi, Christoph Benz (voice recording and sound design); Ksenia Raspopina, Colin Schmid (audio post producer/casting).
