Created by M&C Saatchi for TfL, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), and other transport operators, this is set to be one of the biggest communications campaign associated with the London 2012 Games, and launches this week.
A range of communications - from outdoor to digital to PR – has been created to target people who travel through areas that will be 2012 Games travel hotspots this summer, encouraging them to plan ahead and look at their travel options to help them avoid the busy times and places.
The DM will reach 312,000 people on TfL’s database and this year’s push, scheduled for July 2012, follows on from DM activity that was rolled out in 2010 and 2011.
The new campaign encourages those using the transport system during Games time to ‘Get Ahead of the Games’. With the increased volume of people in London during the Games, everyone will need to understand the implications, and be encouraged to start considering new modes of travel, new routes or altering their usual times to avoid congestion.
The campaign uses an engaging, humorous illustrative approach by showing caricatures of Olympic and Paralympic athletes in day-to-day London transport situations to raise awareness of potential transport congestion hotspots.
For example, one advert features two stereotypical and amusingly large weightlifters causing obvious disruption as they are squeezing themselves through the doors of a busy train. Ads will encourage people to seek transport information before travelling, which will be available using getaheadofthegames.com that will help people plan ahead and check their travel options.
“Getting people to adapt their travel behaviour during the Games, at certain times and locations will be a key to the success of the 2012 Games,” said Chris MacLeod, marketing director at TfL.
“We have worked hard to ensure this campaign gets this message across, while ensuring that people understand that London and the other Olympic venues remain very much open for business.”
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