Rio Metro Videos-A Region In Motion

Target Audience: The video was titled "A Region In Motion" with the purpose being to educate and inform the general public about all the services offered by Rio Metro Regional Transit District (shortened to Rio Metro).

Strategy Objective:As branding continued, it was important to create a video that showcased Rio Metro and all it had to offer. As a regional organization, the video had to include all the services and how seamless it is to connect from the bus to the train, accommodating ADA riders and cyclists. It follows a rider using the services throughout the day and highlights the train corridor while embracing the beauty of the state, hence the name of the video, "A Region In Motion". With :30 and :60 videos created and completed in June 2024, the strategy included airing it on broadcast television, showing it on the Jumbotron at baseball and soccer games, on our YouTube Channel, and running it on mobile devices during Balloon Fiesta -the highest attendance event in New Mexico.

Situation Challenge: Rio Metro's flagship public transportation is the New Mexico Rail Runner Express which is in its 19th year of operation. For the majority of this time, the public referred to us as "the Rail Runner". This was awesome and meant a great job was done in branding. But Rio Metro as a transit organization operating more than just the Rail Runner was unknown. It also operates fixed route bus service in two counties in New Mexico as well as dial-a-ride service. In addition, the Rail Runner accommodates bicycles on the train. Changes needed to be made both internally and externally. It started a few years ago with customer service answering the phone saying "Rio Metro" instead of "New Mexico Rail Runner". At community events, sponsorship events and on their website, Rio Metro's logo is displayed.

Results Impact: Exposure of the :30 video on various media resulted in increased brand awareness of Rio Metro services. A new mobile app had been launched a few months prior to creating the video, so to be able to include it in a clever way with a call to action was an added benefit. Broadcast television 3 month schedule resulted in 742,900 impressions. The video running on mobile devices was part of a digital campaign on a broadcast station yielded 210,430 impressions during Balloon Fiesta's 9 day event. From July 2024 through seasons end for baseball and soccer, the average attendance for each one was 10,100. The video was shown on the Jumbotron during 31 games between both of them resulting in 12,584,440 impressions. Both videos were uploaded to our YouTube Channel with 401 views to date.

Why Submit: The video, "A Region In Motion", was the best way to tell the story of who is Rio Metro Regional Transit District. Deep thought went into writing the script, working with the various departments to get the right images, even choosing the right voice over was important. The day in the life of a rider, the visuals, the connections, the friendships that can be formed, show that our services are more than just moving people. We took advantage of showing the video where there were large audiences and in 5 months racked up 13,537,770 impressions! Branding Rio Metro continues, and people are speaking our name, Rio Metro, so we know the public sees us as more than just the Rail Runner and now as a transit organization.