Public transport has been facing the most serious challenge in its history. Its nearly 600 companies performing public passenger and rail freight transport in Germany were hit by the pandemic with full force: passenger numbers and revenues plummeted literally overnight and companies were adding up to billions in losses. The “ghost buses” and trains of the VDV members guarantee services of general interest, but are quickly stigmatised as cesspools of superspreading. The pandemic threatens the role of public transport as a valuable pacemaker of the mobility turnaround and key to reaching the Paris climate goals.

A nationwide campaign for the VDV and the “Deutschland Mobil 2030” initiative aims to call for solidarity and regain people’s trust in public transport modes.
Ready to enter “the new normal”? Hop on!

An outspoken campaign that puts the passengers themselves and their commitment at the centre of the communication. This creates identification and inspires solidarity. With its high-performance, uninterrupted services, public transport not only keeps Germany running, it provides the vehicle for the transport revolution and it has certainly brought a bit of the public back into life. These are all good reasons for people to make a clear statement in favour of public transport.

Rebounding passengers who commit to “hop on” again are the central message of the campaign – nationwide, regionally and digitally. They personify the whole spectrum of reasons for returning to public transport and express solidarity and trust in the safety of public transport.

Karl Anders boldly portrays normal people and high-reach testimonials as public transport users throughout Germany. They present the “faces of the new normal” in a confident way – safe and united in solidarity. The integrated OOH and digital campaign is orchestrated across all channels: from 18/1 to the VDV’s various social media channels. The central campaign URL www.besserweiter.de provides a content hub that follows alongside the image campaign adding education, information and a powerful campaign film to pass on the important message.