AC Transit 62nd Anniversary Crown

Target Audience: The goal of this effort was to create an opportunity for experiential engagement with two target audiences: riders and employees. Riders: We distributed crowns on every coach multiple times over the two-week period. We also made crowns available in our Customer Service Center and were responsive to requests on social media. Employees: We distributed crowns at every AC Transit worksite and were responsive to requests for additional crowns for employees and their families.

Strategy Objective:We wanted to create a fun opportunity for experiential engagement with riders and employees and create buzz on social media. To achieve our goal, we created something our audiences could interact with that they've never seen before. Design: The concept came from a desire to evoke feelings of nostalgia—we wanted the crown to feel like something you might have worn as a kid. As a nod to our anniversary, we included illustrations of AC Transit buses throughout the years. Distribution: We brought the crowns directly to our target audiences by putting them on all buses and in the hands of employees. Messaging: This aligned with the fun, nostalgic feel of the campaign and directed our audiences to get involved by posting on social.

Situation Challenge: In 2022, AC Transit celebrated 62 years of serving the community. Since it was not a major anniversary, no large-scale celebrations were planned. However, we wanted to make the most of an opportunity to celebrate and engage with our riders and employees.

Results Impact: People LOVED the crowns! We couldn't keep up with demand and we received multiple requests for future opportunities of similar giveaways. Our communications about the crowns were some of our most popular of the year and we had riders and employees posting pictures of the crown. Additionally, this effort increased rider word-of-mouth communications—riders were reaching out to each other to ask where they found their crown and share their own experiences. This effort provided a positive rider experience which increased ridership by 1.4% and laid the groundwork for future experiential engagement at AC Transit.

Why Submit: This effort exemplifies a transit agency delighting their customers. We're often so focused on making sure riders get the information they need, we can forget the magic that can come out of surprising riders with something they never knew they wanted. With a little unique thinking, we were able to give our riders a special moment on the bus. This effort has laid the groundwork for experiential engagement at AC Transit and could act as a roadmap for other agencies to engage audiences in this way.