Notebook
We’re Not On Board.
Londoners are probably familiar by now with the “We’re on board” posters that appeared on London Transit buses in October, and more recently bus shelters. It’s a campaign designed to get riders to “Ride Respectfully” with a series of four posters.
The posters feature very low quality 3D models of passengers varying in race and sex and a little note at the bottom telling riders how to behave. Some take one or two of the characters and highlight them to make a point about that specific user demographic. Overall the posters are poorly done, with unnecessary drop shadows, poor type selection, poor 3D graphics, and the use of almost identical imagery for four separate ads. I’m not the first to point this out.
Based on the fact that the logo is of a much higher quality the the posters I’d say the logo was done by an outside company and the posters done in house. The in house designers are also likely the ones to stick a ring around the logo with the URL in a very low contrast colour.
So I threw together some mock-ups of my own, in somewhat of a parody, but still following the visual style of the campaign. I didn’t spend too much time on these, as I’m sure is obvious, but I think they are an improvement. I also kept in mind the time and cost restraints the staff probably had using stock photos and keeping the time on each under 30 minuets (including material sourcing). Ideally, with the tone and style the logo gives us, I would have preferred to use illustrations rather then photography; however I am not an illustrator.
Rather then copy the posters verbatim, two voice some long standing gripes from riders. The desire for 24 hour service or at the very least service past bar hours, and large strollers impeding pathways through the bus. The third takes aim at the current poster implying that youth are trouble, especially the ones with skateboard, iPods playing Red Hot Chili Peppers, and little fashion sense. People over twenty-five would never be rude, right?
The LTC (London Transit Commission)’s branding strategy, if there is such a thing, is a mess. They put decals of old versions of their logo in the windows of new buses, and a portion of buses have yet to be fitted with the new brand at all. It’s not surprising people have little respect for the LTC, when the LTC doesn’t take the time to improve appearance and service, but chooses to chastise it’s customers instead.
The LTC isn’t alone though; London itself seems to be having an identity crisis lately.
Ever since this poster came out Ive always had a good laugh everytime I see them. I always thought that they were far too childish, un-realistic and that they really werent appropriate for their target media, its obvious they want to reach the ‘younger’ generations, but this is a poor attempt on behalf of the LTC (London Transit Commission).
KevBo
washed.ca blog.washed.ca
Your new posters made me laugh, I haven’t had the privilege to see the existing ones, but your new ones stand on their own.
These ones are far better than the actual ones. They have more comedic value as well cause they speak truthfully.
I dislike the actual posters used by Transit London they are ugly as sin.
I love the SUV stroller one
I just assumed those posters were done for free by some high school graphic design class.
This is excellent. I’m so glad someone had pointed mocking fingers at that 3D poster.
Pretty much every aspect of the “campaign” is terrible.
That being said, I greatly enjoy your stoller poster; it rings so very true in my ipod-listening, bad-fashion sense’d, rude heart.
I close my eyes every time I see those ugly posters! Not having to see them is yet another advantage of biking rather than bussing.
Well done, sir!
Haha, those look great. You could print those up (at those resolutions) and they would be better than what’s up now. Pat
Is LTC (London Transit Commission) really ‘On Board’?
I’d enjoy transit more if it had bike racks like most transit systems now adays. Also if it ran a bit later or told you you were on the last bus before you paid money. Other than that, I have had no problems with transit and find it very nice and pleasant in comparison to other cities.
Yours are a huge improvement. I’ve had hours to stare at those horrible 80s-CG ones while waiting for buses, and they’re really just sad. They’re not much better than the other youth-bashing ones with the photograph of a punk kid trying to get away with a fake bus pass, though.
And seriously, parents need to at least TRY keeping their strollers out of the way.
So, just about every time we pass these now, my girlfriend and I point and laugh.
These are definitely more in keeping with the attitude of LTC (London Transit Commission) towards its ‘customers’. I have never ridden the LTC buses because when I tried I couldn’t get on board with my stroller.
I vented my feelings about LTC on my website, and I hope you don’t mind my putting your posters on there, too. I put a link to this site, and gave you credit, of course.
I wonder if LTC know just how bad their image is? I hope they’ve seen your posters - it might help them to wake up.