Rio Metro Video Seniors 60+ Ride Free on Wednesday

Target Audience: The target was Seniors 60+ but the reach was widened to Adults 55+ with the thought that the broader demographic would reach out to people younger than 60 who would see the video and share the information with their senior friends.

Strategy Objective:Ridership on the train skews more towards females but we wanted the video to be inclusive of men. The video shows two women (in their 60's) riding the train early afternoon discussing what they would do when they got to the end of the line (in Santa Fe). It included shopping and meeting two gentlemen friends for dinner then taking the train back arriving at sunset. The strategy was to show that the Rail Runner train schedule works well with doing activities in the afternoon in Santa Fe and being able to return before it got dark, a concern for some seniors. The theme of the "Wednesdays Girl Club" continued from a previous video using two of the women from that video. They are spirited, active individuals who love to get together with friends.

Situation Challenge: Seniors 60+ continue to be one of our strongest demographic on the New Mexico Rail Express. However, there are times during the year when the numbers on Wednesday spike more than others. Late last year, an additional early afternoon northbound train to Santa Fe was added to the schedule. This had been a request from riders for some time. With this, the video served as a reminder that not only Seniors 60+ can ride free on Wednesdays, but they now have an option other than the morning trains.

Results Impact: The video was completed in June 2024 and started airing on broadcast television in September. There are several events in July and August in Santa Fe that are well-attended by folks from Albuquerque, especially seniors. The new video aired during the Golden Bachelorette, a new show on ABC which was anticipated to have high viewership as this was the first season. The ad in the 10 episodes yielded 531,900 impressions. The show was perfectly suited for the senior video and was one of only two advertisers who had an ad that aired during the show on the local ABC affiliate.

Why Submit: This is a new era for seniors. They look younger, love the outdoors and to be active and engaged. Relationships are important and the video clearly demonstrates that for both women and men. It hits the target demographic and has been well-received. In addition, the ridership on Wednesdays for the early afternoon train has increased by 18% during the 11 weeks it has aired. The women loved being part of this new video and including men this time showed our focus was much broader.