Blog 5 : Can we make good use of the Canberra’s unique dome bus stop?

WOW! Have you seen a very unique, dome bus stop? It’s almost everywhere in Canberra! If you head out for work/leisure, you will always see a bus stop somewhere no matter you take bus or drive! We all know supply and demand are always in correlation. In this case, bus stops bring space and opportunities for advertising. Our dome bus stops are craving for advertisement! Although lots of normal bus stop shelters have advertising posters already and the idea is not exactly new, but have you thought about a creative art dome, a semi commercial x visual art advertising bus stop?

Figure 5.1

Using Canberra special bus stop to promote a brand is definitely a brilliant idea as there are lots of unique dome bus stops built out there in Canberra. The advertising channel has been developed and existed without being used.

Here are some proposals of how we can make good use of THE DOME as for a brand to advertise. Firstly, there are street artists making use of the dome as painting board already. Why not putting creative arts ads in bus station, which created by some local artists, and promote a brand at the same time? Secondly, how a brand leverages their products with the artistic ads dome bus stop? Social media can be used. For instance, marketers can hold activities on Instagram and Facebook which netizens post original images of the ads and hashtag “Canberra bus stop”, the brand will then select the most popular post award by the number of likes, and it will be the next cover page of “Canberra Weekly”.

In terms of the brand’s ads cost, it would be hiring artists for the bus stops’ decorations, negotiate a bargain price with Canberra Access for the surface of the bus station, as well as a cover page ads on the Canberra Weekly magazine. The use of bus station’s surface price will not be too high as the bus stops were not expected to bring income to the government at all. The ads income will be a bonus to the government. And the general public will then receive the brand’s significant message (logo/products) at no time. Not only bus-riders get to see the ads but also every driver, cyclist, pedestrian on the road. On a bonus part, social media will spread the brand out through the hashtag competition as well.

Figure 5.2

Outdoor brand ads e.g. Rosebank Helmet

Knowing that bus station has strong potential for advertising, how do you think of the shape of this special bus station? Can you picture the dome station as a helmet? To me, “Rosebank Helmet” is a domestic helmet brand from Australia which suits best for a dome art bus station. Marketers from this brand can cooperate with Access Canberra to make a new helmet theme of bus stop. Every bus stop can be decorated, and the outer surface will look more like a helmet, and each bus stop is in different models. (Motor helmet, bicycle helmet and safety helmet etc.)

This is what will happen after a creative brand ads emerged to the dome bus station:

1. Outdoor lovers will see ads when they walk/drive/ride cross the bus station, they are very likely be attracted by the helmet theme and look for the brand.

2. People who are riding a motorcycle or bicycle along the road could be very interested these ads as well and this group of people is the most potential buyer of helmets.

3. Social media addicts might post the creative helmet bus stops to IG or Facebook and we all know words/images spread fast on social media.

However, there are several risks that a brand has to take for implementing ads at dome bus station. The main cause would be due to the location of all these dome stations. Unlike the normal shelter bus stations which stays at the main streets/bus terminals, this kind of special dome bus stops locate in all alley or residential area. Those area lacks exposure for the general public and extremely hard to maintain the ads from being sabotaged. Sometimes, many drivers will ignore sounding environment when they are driving too. Because of the remote location for all dome stops, there are more potential rebellious teens will doodle at the bus stop, draw graffiti etc. This will make ads promotion counterproductive and bring bad reputation to the brand if the graffiti happens to be some inappropriate words as shown in photo.

Figure 5.3

Figure 5.4

Yet other than hard to maintain the condition of ads, putting brand ads at Canberra’s dome bus station will absolutely be innovative!