Bus operator Arriva unveils emotive next phase of advertising campaign

Last year, Arriva launched its first ever TV commercial, ‘There’s a Bus for That’ as a pilot scheme.

The campaign is about encouraging passengers who typically travel by car and other modes of transport to consider using the bus.

The innovative approach targeted not just Arriva customers but promoted bus usage across all operators.

Grounded in extensive research, the campaign highlights that emotional engagement is crucial for driving real behaviour change.

Arriva's advertising campaign has so far achieved significant increases in the number of bus journeys, particularly among passengers, who use bus passes.

The concessionary fare customers were a previously disengaged from public transport communications since the pandemic.

The latest advert, which will be featured in cinemas and on-demand streaming services follows a heartwarming story of a grandad and granddaughter enjoying a day out at the local park.

The 60-second TV commercial, titled ‘Bestest Day Ever... There’s a bus for that’ launches across cinema and TV, running alongside the first ad that depicted two young people meeting for their first date.

The TV ad was created by agency SNAP LDN.

Cora Woodhouse, marketing and customer service director at Arriva UK Bus said: “We’re really excited to be launching the next instalment of this successful advertising campaign and collaborating with SNAP LDN once again.

“They fully understand where we’re coming from as a brand and the last TV advert has delivered material results on our aims of sustainable growth, increasing ridership, and converting occasional passengers into regular users.

“Our research told us that to drive behavioural change and boost bus usage, buses need to be top of mind and that people are less concerned with who operates the bus service and more with the connections it facilitates—connecting communities with essential places and the people they love.

“That’s what we’re achieving here and why our adverts are landing so well.”

Jon Boardman, CEO of SNAP LDN, said: “It's incredibly gratifying to extend a successful campaign, knowing the work is impactful and the idea robust.

“This project has been a pleasure for everyone involved, creating narratives that transcend expectations for a bus company. We hope audiences enjoy these stories and recognise the diverse roles buses play in society. There’s much more to come.”

SNAP LDN collaborated with Axe&Iron on the creation of the campaign, under the direction of Zak Razvi. Media planning and buying were managed by Carat, targeting regional audiences through BVOD, cinema, OOH, press, display, social media, and Arriva’s own bus media.