NZ Bus uses Twitter suggestions to create two new bugbears

NZ Bus uses Twitter suggestions to create two new #BusBetter ‘bugbears’

With people taking more trips on public transport in Auckland and Wellington than ever before, NZ Bus has unveiled two new bus ‘bugbear’ characters, as part of its ‘Bus Better’ campaign.

By using feedback and suggestions sourced from Twitter users, NZ Bus identified some of the most common observations about behaviour on buses and created the new bugbears.

The new characters join the motley family of bugbears that have already attracted attention online through Twitter, and more recently, the photo sharing site Instagram, as well as in adverts on buses.

The bears were created by NZ Bus’ design partner Principals NZ, with the campaign earning Principals two nominations in the country’s upcoming Best Design Awards, for the Environmental Design and Colour Award categories. Winners will be announced at the awards dinner on October 9th 2015.

The first bugbear is ‘Not Ready Eddie’ a notoriously underprepared bear who holds up the line at the bus and creates delays by not having the correct form of payment ready. The second bugbear is ‘Seat Hogging Sally’ who shows a lack of courtesy to her fellow passengers by taking up two seats on the bus.

Scott Thorne, General Manager Strategy at NZ Bus, says that the launch of the Bus Better Bugbears in September 2014, has sparked valuable conversations about the way people behave on public transport.

He says: “We’re glad to see that people are interested in the bugbears and that the characters are encouraging bus users to think about their behaviour when using bus services. Social media has been a great tool to promote the bugbears, and has also been a really useful way for us to understand and listen to what irks our passengers.

“What’s great about this campaign is that these bugbears speak up for commuters who are often too polite to say anything. To date, the Bus Better campaign has received some fantastic engagement by bus users, especially with online communities.”

The new bugbears will feature on bus advertising media from this week onwards. Passengers are encouraged to share photos and thoughts about the bugbears using the hashtag #busbetter via Twitter or Instagram.

-ENDS-

© Scoop Media