Unsuck DC Metro: "Broke"

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

"Broke"

I understand Metro's need to get information out about Rush+. It's going to confuse a lot of people.

But making these very slick, and no doubt expensive, five-panel brochures seems over the top for a transit agency that's perennially "broke."

Couldn't this information just have been put on a regular piece of paper?

Then there's the Rush+ marketing one reader called "asinine."

Metro's even ponied up the dough for yet another survey about Rush+ marketing and promotion.

And they're raising fares--again.

At least the fancy brochures are good as stylish and very expensive coasters:

Via @citygirldc: Hello @wmata. Had a great idea for your new brochure: bar coasters. And yes, I'd love a job in your marketing dept. pic.twitter.com/qTM93a7e

Other items:
They're playing with our lives (WaPo)
Man fatally shot at Southern Ave. bus bay (WaPo)
Metro secretary sues over religious discrimination (Examiner)
Officials spar over NOVA transit money (Examiner)

Comments (41)

Logging you in...

Dashboard | Edit profile | Logout

Logged in as

+11 Vote up Vote down

Anony · 667 weeks ago

I would argue that the PR campaign is doing more to confuse than to help.

Rush+ is not that big of a deal. It doesn't change the optimal commute strategy for many people. Sure, some people won't have to transfer towards the end of a line, and the yellow line is now at Franconia. But overall, these are minor changes.

5 replies · active 667 weeks ago

+20 Vote up Vote down

Rider · 667 weeks ago

True. No changes to the Red Line; it's still a death trap.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Everly Confoozed · 667 weeks ago

Can someone explain how it works on the orange from Ballston towards New Carrollton? I've not seen anything that explains it to me so far...

+1 Vote up Vote down

Nick · 667 weeks ago

You will see three more orange line trains per hour during the times the changes are taking effect (I think 630-9am and 4-6pm, someone correct me if wrong). Your average wait time for a train should decrease by a minute or two, i think.

0 Vote up Vote down

jkuchen · 667 weeks ago

It also depends on how far you're going on the Orange Line. Some of the Orange Line trains will be going to Largo, so if you're going past Stadium/Armory, you need to pay attention to the destination signs and announcements.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Anony · 667 weeks ago

You are exhibit A about why the PR blitz could be more harmful than productive.
You get a few more trains than normal per hour (maybe given that this is WMATA after all). That's the only change for you. It's not even something you needed to be told.

+34 Vote up Vote down

knows metro · 667 weeks ago

Metro never met a buck it couldn't spend unwisely.

4 replies · active 667 weeks ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

Ever n Anon · 667 weeks ago

That's a great tag line for Metro.. and a highh candidate for the White Board! :D

+1 Vote up Vote down

DCRider · 667 weeks ago

I personally like this one...

Metro: Always in decline, never hitting rock bottom

New slogan contest anyone???

+2 Vote up Vote down

Bleh · 667 weeks ago

Metro: Because we both know that we're still your least bad option.

0 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 667 weeks ago

Metro: It beats sitting in traffic.

+17 Vote up Vote down

@ChrisHowdy · 667 weeks ago

Given how many people Metro has driven to drinking, this might be the best money they've spent in a while.

1 reply · active 667 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

Anonymous · 667 weeks ago

Including metro's staff!

-23 Vote up Vote down

Mitch Murphy · 667 weeks ago

Seems this is a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation. Yes, Metro has some real issues, but this Marketing is not one of them. Had Metro not spent the $$ -- and I believe the expenditure was fairly small. If the materials were printed on plain paper - they would be all over the platforms, trains, bus bays etc. Making it look nice makes it less likely to get thrown away. The woman who used it as a coaster - used it!

The Rush+ buzz was meant to drive people to the web site for more information. It was supposed to make you ask "what's this?" Ah, a professional marketer's tactic.

Again, there are a lot of things wrong at Metro, but you folks that are complaining about this are just complaining!

7 replies · active 667 weeks ago

+16 Vote up Vote down

· 667 weeks ago

You must have your transit fully subsidized. Metro is out of control expensive and crazy dangerous yet they waste money on bs like this.

People like you scare me.

+15 Vote up Vote down

Kara · 667 weeks ago

Umm .... how much info do you need about rush+? Do you *really* need slick things telling you about it everywhere beyond changes to the existing maps?

Okay, maybe it is 'small' compared to the size of metro's budget. If it is that 'small' can I have it then?

-16 Vote up Vote down

FlanSolo · 667 weeks ago

Mitch is right. Metro has to spend some amount of money promoting Rush+ (we all know people would be complaining if they did not), and while Metro has financial problems, relatively small expenditures like this simply are not the problem. People should direct their frustration to the state governments who actually provide funding.

+12 Vote up Vote down

Anoner · 667 weeks ago

oh! The governments are paying for this? Then why is my fare going up yet again?

+5 Vote up Vote down

jenster8dc · 667 weeks ago

Having them all over the platforms, trains, bus bays, etc. would probably be a GOOD thing, since at least then people might actually read them. The point of spending money like this on marketing collateral is to GET INFORMATION TO PEOPLE. Your argument that "the woman who used it as a coaster - used it!" merely underlines how ridiculous this expenditure is from an entity that is always claiming to be broke.

And the website that the "buzz" was meant to drive people to is utterly useless. To the surprise of exactly no one.

+3 Vote up Vote down

Twelve · 667 weeks ago

The woman who used it as a coaster - used it!

So - any PR is good PR? At any cost?

+3 Vote up Vote down

Bleh · 667 weeks ago

I think it was appropriate for Metro to spend some money publicizing this. But spending more money is idiotic. If there are people out there who still haven't figured out how Rush + applies to them, then yet another round of marketing isn't likely to help.

The law of diminishing marginal returns kicked in long ago on this PR campaign.

+17 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 667 weeks ago

I still haven't been handed one of these handy dandy brochures but they look sturdy enough for me to fashion a shiv out of one to defend myself if need be.

+32 Vote up Vote down

DC Denizen · 667 weeks ago

Since moving from the non-profit into the for-profit sector, it's amazing to me how much money gets wasted on stupid stuff like this. Metro could learn a lesson from someone with a non-profit background. Fancy-pants brochures are useless if they're not helpful. And the plainest paper sheets can be made to provoke interest and compelling thought- if you're creative and thoughtful about it. I'd rather they spend my fare money on fixing the escalators, and give me a tear-off tab or a QR code for their website with the Rush+ trip planning information- that's all I really care about anyway.

Here's a marketing tip for WMATA, free of charge: If a concept is so complicated that you need 10 glossy panels (five front and back) to get your point across to the general public, then it's too complicated.

Want to save money while getting the same job done? Then either simplify your message, or simplify your delivery.

2 replies · active 667 weeks ago

+3 Vote up Vote down

Glossy · 667 weeks ago

Sadly, Metro is supposed to be not for profit. They should act like it.

+1 Vote up Vote down

DC Denizen · 667 weeks ago

Well... They do have a .com URL, not a .org.

0 Vote up Vote down

jkuchen · 667 weeks ago

I haven't seen things handed out at Vienna. Must be due to all the military people whose commute will be disrupted by not having as many blue lines trains for transfer at Rosslyn.

3 replies · active 667 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

@ChrisHowdy · 667 weeks ago

They were being handed out by at least a couple folks at Vienna yesterday AM.

0 Vote up Vote down

jkuchen · 667 weeks ago

Thanks, Chris--when I posted I had forgotten that I drove in yesterday.

0 Vote up Vote down

@ChrisHowdy · 667 weeks ago

Amusingly, yesterday's one of the few days recently I've taken Metro...I've switched to VRE for my daily commute and it's awesome.

+7 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 667 weeks ago

They should just take a full page ad in the Post Express. Those rags are all over Metro. It would be the only thing worth reading (except for the comic Pearls Before Swine) in the Post.

+14 Vote up Vote down

hrh king friday 13 · 667 weeks ago

They place a bunch of "Rush+" ads and stickers all over the place that don't explain what the f*ck it is LIKE SOME KIND OF SECRET PLOT TWIST. Who is thier PR consultant, M Night Shyamalan or the Wachowski brothers?

+9 Vote up Vote down

BrianKal · 667 weeks ago

When you have a staff of 70+ in PR, does that mean each 12 people design one page?

2 replies · active 667 weeks ago

+5 Vote up Vote down

@wmata · 667 weeks ago

That's not accurate.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Twelve · 667 weeks ago

Care to elaborate? (It had to be said!)

+4 Vote up Vote down

governmentbasement 70p · 667 weeks ago

I need a set of coasters, which trash bin is best to check?

1 reply · active 667 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

jkuchen · 667 weeks ago

I saw a number of them in the bin next to the 640/642/644 bus shelter in Vienna....

+2 Vote up Vote down

unsuckdcmetro 92p · 667 weeks ago

Great idea!

+1 Vote up Vote down

Bleh · 667 weeks ago

WHOA! An actual critical look at Metro from the Washington Post! Granted it was from the Editorial Page, which is completely separate from the newsroom where Dr. Gridlock is. And granted that I think there are more dangerous safety problems.

But still, actual criticism!

+3 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 667 weeks ago

I got one yesterday, and it came in a plastic bag. I thought the DC government was outlawing plastic bags!

Can anyone explain why all but one of the turnstiles at Union Station are "No SpartTrip"?

2 replies · active 667 weeks ago

-2 Vote up Vote down

anon · 667 weeks ago

Don't be such a spartass, Guest.