Transport for NSW

Creating chemistry between a community and town

Transport for NSW needed to keep Newcastle city centre alive while it was completely disrupted by Light Rail construction, and as the project drew to a close, needed to promote the benefits to the city of the overall project, and the new tram service.

Our approach was to create a vibe in the city that would make people feel like they were missing out if they didn’t visit. The “still open for business’ campaign strategy included PR strategy, events, animations, video, social media and radio advertising. Events were staged during school holidays when the largest number of people would be likely to visit the city, and surrounding businesses were all given the opportunity to be involved in events to stimulate the local economy. People were encouraged to explore spaces and places in a new way once heavy rail infrastructure was removed, and this was done by featuring prominent local identities exploring their favourite parts of the city in social media video.

To introduce people to the new concept of using the tram for public transport, the advertising campaign was in market prior to the light rail launch. The campaign featured graphics and relatable messaging to make the shiny new project part of the community. 12 major events were executed over the 16-month period attracting 96,000 people into the city.

Comprehensive surveys were conducted with participants at the events. Results from this indicated that over 70% of the audience were very likely to visit the city centre if events such as these were held and 80% were likely to attend a similar event again in the future. Social media proved to be the strongest medium for spreading the word with all.

Client

• Transport for NSW

Project

• Revitalising Newcastle

Expertise

• Strategy

• Creative

• Production

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