The award-winning ‘Get Round for £1’ campaign comes as a result of the North East Enhanced Partnership – a formal agreement between bus operators and local authorities. The partnership has been collaborating tirelessly to bring to fruition these new incentives for local people. It is a result of all their hard work that they have rolled out across the region.
The initiative follows the publication of the North East Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) in 2021, and the North East’s funding award of £163.5 million.
Approximately 162 million bus journeys are taken every year across the region, so the reduced fare is expected to be very impactful, particularly for those younger people who are already making those journeys. As of January 2024, the Get Round for £1 campaign resulted in 10 million journeys being made at this reduced fare by young people across the region.
A creative mixture of marketing and communications activity has taken place to ensure the campaign reaches its intended audience as efficiently and effectively as possible. With a simple catchy slogan and a bold and vibrant visual identity, there has been ample opportunity to roll out creative social media content resulting in millions of impressions, innovative in person marketing techniques at key regional events and importantly, an ongoing collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and more across the region.
The campaign has been highly successful to date, with the North East Enhanced Partnership winning the silver award (second place) for Marketing Campaign of the Year and a nomination for Product Launch of the Year at the North East Marketing Awards.
