You’ve been on some type of mass transportation before. Whether it is a plane, train, boat, or bus, you are stuck on these systems for anywhere between 30 minutes and 9 hours. You are stuck doing nothing, staring into space, reading, sleeping, playing on your phone, or playing on your computer. What if you were given a branded experience? I am not talking about the bus or taxi ads you see plastered on the vehicles interior, I am talking about a multi-sensory experience. Something, not just seen but also felt, heard, or tasted (smelling something in enclosed space might not be the best idea).

Examples
The University of New Mexico’s theatre department debuted their talent on New Mexico’s RailRunner. It is a commuter train that runs between Santa Fe and Belen, NM which is a roughly 2 hour and 15 minute trip. UNM’s theatre put on Shakespeare on the Rail. A short version of some of Shakespeare’s most popular plays done in between certain train stops at certain times of a particular day.

Here are two videos, the first one by the cast and crew, the second done by a passenger (so it is a bit shaky).

This blog was also sparked by a BrandWeek article mentioning that United Airlines started a "new in-house media operation a few months back that’s designed to sell potential marketers integrated, multiplatform ad campaigns throughout its fleet of planes and terminal locations."

The article goes on to describe one of the first campaigns to use their services. Wrigley’s, the gum maker, used a series of overhead videos, in-flight magazine ads, tray-table images/messages (see the image on the right from the BrandWeek article), and free samples. Post campaign testing mentioned preference for the Wrigley brands used went up more than 200 percent.

Higher Education Marketing Usage
Here are a couple thoughts that came to mind for use in higher education marketing. Do the traditional in-transit advertising in conjunction with a promotional giveaway. It should be an item that gives the passengers something to do that ties into the brand. If your brand is based on innovation and creativity, give them a logo-marked tub of playdough so they can be creative and innovative on their own. Or if your brand is based on smart students and faculty, give passengers a logo-marked puzzle or trivia game. Or provide a grown-up version of an activity book to keep passengers busy with mindbenders, brainteasers, trivia questions, and more that includes college facts laced in with the puzzle answers. The activities could also include some marketing materials.

Or, similar to the group of actors mentioned above, provide a play of sorts that passengers can watch while they are on the move. It doesn’t have to be Shakespeare, but it could be some acting students performing what life could be like on campus – kind of a live-action commercial. A group of singers, singing an original fun and engaging song about the local area and your college may strike a note with passengers.

While my ideas are not tied to a particular strategy or budget, there is a whole lot of potential to be creative and engage with a captive audience.

Things to Keep in Mind
One, I mentioned it before but it is important, don’t be too intrusive! They are a captive audience, but they still need a way to opt-out, otherwise passengers may get angry or overwhelmed. Notice the images on the tray tables are not intrusive and glaring sell messages, but scenic images with a small logo and message in the bottom right. The trays can also be closed if the passenger doesn’t want to look at them. In addition, the Shakespeare on the Rail took place on one of several compartments of the train, allowing passengers to sit elsewhere if they wanted.

Two, understand the mode of transportation. What do people do? Where are they going? How long are they on? What are the surroundings? Answer these questions and you could add some additional synergy to your campaign. Even the Shakespeare on the Rail cast and crew video mention they use the train’s handrails, poles, seats and other surroundings as part of the "scenery" of the play.

Three, depending on the mode of transit and for much of the campaign, it may be possible to segment audiences by:

• length of flight (local, regional, national, and international)
• seat class
• seat location
• destination location
• departure location
• and possibly more

Four, remember the rules of the system. Each mode of transport has their own rules and regulations. For example, you don’t want your audience remembering you for being kicked off the train for not following the rules.

Why?
You have a an audience who is more or less stuck in a vehicle for a period of time. What if you could explain to a group of regional travelers, the brand messages of your university? If you give them an appropriate experience, they may appreciate it.

If it is local transportation, you help to engrain your messages in the minds of the community and help to illustrate the benefits your college has on the community.

Also, as gas prices and other expenses go up, the transportation industry could be on the lookout for aditional revenue from marketing. There could be more opportunities opening up in a mass transit system near you.