Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Givin and Groovin Campaign

Target Audience: Riders, public, community members and members of and NFTA Metro employees.

Strategy Objective:The NFTA was celebrating its 50th anniversary in November 2017. With Metro ridership trending low, it was important to develop a community engagement campaign that would support brand awareness, complement our 50 years of service to the WNY community, and encourage ridership with a popular event. On July 31, we announced our Givin' and Groovin' stuff-a-bus campaign to support the Food Bank of WNY. The artwork for the Givin' and Groovin' bus was designed after 1967's Summer of Love, and it moved around town on a mission to collect as many canned goods and non-perishables as possible. Those who donated were eligible to win a year's supply of Upstate Milk, with the winner to be announced at the 179th Erie County Fair (6,774 Twitter and 64,087 Facebook followers).

Situation Challenge: Hunger remains a serious problem throughout Western New York, affecting not just our inner cities, but our rural and suburban communities. The summer is a time when food banks and pantries receive the least amount of donations, without a decrease in need. We needed to create a unique way to help those in need at a time when donations were essential.

Results Impact: NFTA Metro's Givin' and Groovin' stuff-a-bus campaign proved to be extremely successful. An impressive 1,300 pounds of food was collected, which equated to be an estimated 1,535 meals for those in need. The campaign also garnered excitement across our social media channels. Media coverage for the ribbon cutting and launch of the Givin' and Groovin' bus was covered by WGRZ, WIVB and the Buffalo News. We also reached 1,305 followers on Facebook at the launch and 1,256 reached at opening day of the Erie County Fair. The earned media helped us reach thousands of potential riders.

Why Submit: The unique Givin' and Groovin' campaign received a variety of attention leveraging brand awareness and strong corporate partnerships. The Givin' and Groovin bus delivered the collected food, and the significant campaign results were recognized during the opening ceremonies. The fair hosts an estimated 1.2M visitors over 12-days and is considered one of WNY's largest annual events. Our interactive bus display included a unique piped-in Metro Radio that highlighted public transit benefits while incorporating nostalgic music of 1967. This outreach helped capture the interest of a diverse audience of all ages. It was a great lead-in to our upcoming 50th anniversary, making our riders, community members and employees feel like a part of this special celebration.