Information, communication and marketing

1. Information, communication and marketing Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle PlanningBolzano, 21st October 2005

2. Contents • A theoretical framework • Information hardware – signposting and other facilities • Information software – campaigns ond other means • Elements of a communication strategy Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

3. Pre-assumption (target group) Planners and politicians from a city which has the aim to increase the volume of bicycle traffic. Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

4. Sub-sub-subsidiary objective 1: Physical measures Sub-sub-subsidiary objective 2: Soft measures Overall objective:Improving urban living conditions 1. Theory – the objective tree Subsidiary objective 1:... Subsidiary objective 2:... Subsidiary objective N:Improving urban mobility Subsidiary objective ...:... Sub-subsidiary objective N’:Increasing cycle use Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

5. 1. Theory More cycling trips are created by a mixture of: 1. Hard measures (new road design, signs, cycle lanes, cycle tracks, paths...) and 2. Soft measures (information, communication, marketing) In any case, increasing cycle traffic means changing human behaviourand individuals’ habits. Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

6. 1. Theory WARNING Promoting cycling is not only a question of changing the physical conditions. (often, however, staff with main skills in the area of road design are asked to increase cycle traffic) Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

7. 1. Theory – defining marketing Marketing means to make a communication about a product or service a purpose of which is to encourage recipients of the communication to purchase or use the product or service or, in this connection: Marketing means making the citizens cycle more by communication means. Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

8. Stages of change –model: 1. Theory on behavioural change ”I cycle regularly” ”I tried, and cycle now and then” ”I would like to try cycling” ”Cycling might be an option” ”Cycling is not relevant for me” Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

9. Cycle promotion can thus be rephrased as • promoting individuals moving up the stairs • preventing individuals moving down the stairs. 1. Theory on behavioural change • Means “getting new customers” – which is difficult and expensive. • Means ”keeping existing customers” – which is easier. • Preventing people from moving down – e.g. giving up cycling - should therefore be given priority. Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

10. Municipal tasks: Make cycling a good alterna-tive 1. Theory – city opportunities Give good oppor-tunities to try cycling Give good personal argu-ments for cycling Make cycling enjoy-able ”I cycle regularly” Raise interest for cycling ”I tried, and cycle now and then” ”I would like to try cycling” ”Cycling might be an option” ”Cycling is not relevant for me” Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

11. Where are we? Year by year, or before/after a campaign activity 1. Theory – evaluation ? 12% ”I cycle regularly” 15% 25% 38% ”I tried, and cycle now and then” 10% ”I would like to try cycling” ”Cycling might be an option” ”Cycling is not relevant for me” Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

12. 2. Information hardware Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

13. 2. Signposting Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

14. Why make signposting for cyclists? • To help bicycle users finding their way • To explain how to use special facilities • To signpost targets of special interest to bicycle users • To raise the image of cycling 2. Signposting Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

15. Different types of signing • Horisontal signing (road marking) • Vertical signposts • Other vertical signing 2. Signposting Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

16. Different purposes of signing • Guidance on how to position in streets and crossings • Warning other road users to take care of cyclists • Route guidance for everyday purposes • Route guidance for touristic purposes 2. Signposting Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

17. Demands to signs for cyclists • Coherent system • Easy to recognize • Nice design, clear information • Sufficiently big letters to be read en route 2. Signposting Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

18. Challenges in signage for cyclists • Lack of good system • Legal barriers to sign in an efficient way. • Good standards do however exist (e.g. Germany (NRW), Switzerland, Denmark). 2. Signposting Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

19. Swiss examples 2. Signposting Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

20. From the Danish guidelines 2. Signposting Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

21. Intensive signing will • raise the awareness of cycling (in all cases) • raise the profile of cycling (if it is done well) 2. Signposting Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

22. ”Bicycle barometre” 2. Other information hardware Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

23. Green wave for cyclists 2. Other information hardware Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

24. 2. Other information hardware Nice design is marketing in itself Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

25. 3. Information software Information software is (in this respect) all non-physical means aiming at getting more people on bicycles. (Safety-promotion is related, but is a different matter.) Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

26. Information from the city- Website information- Magazines- City maps for cyclists- Electronic bicycle route planners- Gimmicks • Campaigns- Advertisement campaigns- Other sorts of campaigns • Press coverage- Intentional- Unintentional 3. Information software - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

27. Websites 3. Information software - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

28. Websites 3. Information software - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

29. A magazine about cycling and cycle policy 3. Information software - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

30. City maps for cyclists • Lots of examples from several countries. • A city map for cyclists should: • be a normal, detailed city map og high quality with street names and information on medium and long range public transport • include information of special interest to cyclists (bicycle shops, bicycle parking, slopes, bicycle access, ...). 3. Information software - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

31. Electronic bicycle route planners • Quite a few have been provided – e.g. Dublin (Ireland), NRW/Germany, Aalborg and Odense (Denmark) • The electronic planners usually can: • find the shortest route • find the safest route • show the result on a map as well as in writing. 3. Information software - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

32. Gimmicks (funny, creative things) • Typical promotion gifts – if possible of cycling relevance. • Malmo (Sweden): Book on famous people who cycled in Malmo – distributed to all households! 3. Information software - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

33. ”Other sorts of campaigns” • Bicycle to work • Bicycle to school • Shopping by bicycle • Test-biker for a period of time • Organised cycle rides • Try to leave the car 3. Campaigns - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

34. Bicycle to work (as done in Denmark) 3. Campaigns - examples Form a team (4-16 persons) Assign a team contact Enroll and pay (3,5 Euro p p) Send in team sheet for lottery Report behaviour on team sheet Final draw (chance ~ cycling days) Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

35. Bicycle to work (as done in Denmark) • 3-4 weeks campaign period • A magazine is provided to all participants • A newsletter is sent to the contact persons • Enrollment and reports is done by the contact persons (and can be done electronically) • Small and big rewards are in play – some of them especially for the contact persons • The campaign is upscaled to 100,000 persons – but was originally done in a single city. It can be carried out at all levels. 3. Campaigns - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

36. Shopping by bicycle (as done in Flanders, Belgium) • Cooperation between NGO, municipalities and shopkeepers(99 resp. 7,000 in 2002) • Rewards sponsored by shopkeepersor municipalities • Cards used 2 weeks for the registra-tion of those who shop by bicycle • Lottery (draw) with the best chances for most active shoppers • Lots of positive publicity – and 2,5 million km cycled. 3. Campaigns - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

37. BikeBus’ters (test bikers, Aarhus, Denmark) • 175 persons tried to cycle for one year • 2-8 km home-work distance, former car users • free bicycles, accessories and bus tickets • manned secretariat • health checks throughout the project • transport behaviour investigated in depth • total cost 385,000 Euro. 3. Campaigns - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

38. 3. Campaigns - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

39. 3. Campaigns - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

40. Try to leave the car - can families do it? (2001) 3. Campaigns - examples Investigation May 2002 Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

41. Try to leave the car- places of work (2002) 3. Campaigns - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

42. Try to leave the car - training course for individuals (2003) 3. Campaigns - examples Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

43. Main issues depend on country, city, traditions, etc, but... • personal health and well-being • winning opportunities • collegiality • sport (exercise) • fun • seem usually to be important, while • environment • is of less importance from the individual point of view. 3. Campaigns – main issues Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

44. Several possibilities • national/regional newspapers • local newspapers • radio, TV (not least local/regional channels) • news on the web. • Main opportunities • it is cheap - and fast. • Main disadvantage • it is outside your (full) control. 3. Press Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

45. How does it work? The press loves news – the more local the media is, the better chance that even small stories are taken. The press also loves conflicts. News about the city’s bicycle programme are easy to control – and the press can be an excellent co-operation partner. Conflicts are much more difficult to manage, and should generally be avoided (but will always be a potential risk). Press-releases are one way to work – but once a good relationship has been built, a phone call is often sufficient. It is all a matter of symbiosis – both parties gain. 3. Press Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

46. You need to know what to communicate • Develop first a cycle policy and an action plan. • Develop then a communication strategy as part of the action plan. 4. Communication strategy Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

47. Elements in a communication strategy • Logo/design line • Provision of relevant information material- website (formation, editing)- magazines, newsletters, info leaflets- cyclists’ maps- electronic bicycle route planners- gimmicks • Public hearings • Guidelines on how to treat questions from the public • How and when to communicate physical activities • How and when to communicate campaigns 4. Communication strategy Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

48. 4. Communication strategy Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

49. Gimmicks 4. Communication strategy Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning

50. Communication strategy evaluation • Can be done by simple, internal self-evaluation (did we do what we wished to do – and did it work?). Be aware of the contact price (number of aware people per Euro spent). • Could be done by user surveys using the stages of change-model (and, in case such surveys are carried out, it is a good idea to include relevant questions on how city information has been received). • Easy and highly recommendable is however: • Require media surveillance (press clippings, reports on radio/TV passages). 4. Communication strategy Thomas Krag Mobility Advice Master Class Cycle Planning