Metro is fast becoming the most preferred means of transport in cities in India. With creaking infrastructure, roads filled with potholes and cars clogging the ever busy roads, Metro seems like the only way out to save the transport woes of this country. Delhi was the first to build it and since then many cities from Bangalore to Mumbai to Kochi have followed suit. There have been many controversies over whether the Metro is earning enough revenue as was envisaged.
Whatever be the reason, a new advertising and communication move could herald a new era!
Have you heard of the Emirates Stadium in London or the Barclays Center in New York? These two are few of the examples of branding infrastructure. And this is what the Delhi Metro is trying to bring in to India by 2013. The Metrorail corridor in Gurgaon is expected to reach completion by then. And IMG Reliance has been specially brought as a naming consultant.
Full naming rights for three stations (eg: Airtel Station) and half naming rights for the three other stations (eg: LG DLF Phase III) would be provided. Even 4 of the 5 trains which run on this route would have branding and naming rights while the fifth one would be used for socially responsible initiatives. Along with the naming rights, these brands would also be able to participate in the how the entire structure looks in terms of colour, style etc.
First and foremost this initiative gives a great way for the Metro to earn some good revenue. Since it has been the most abused word, as many including me at times have asked questions, the ten year investment by big brands is a path breaking move for sure. It also gives brands the opportunity to constantly interact with the audience since relationship marketing has become really important in today’s competitive world.
The fixed costs of this kind of marketing initiative are decided and can be easily calculated since the message and logo are always out in the public domain. But in case of advertising, a company’s expenses are always variable and keep changing according to various factors.
This project is sure to start a new era in image building, brand positioning and creating brand associations.
Do you think branding the Metro is a good idea?