Saved Seat Campaign

Target Audience: The audience for this campaign is current and past transit riders.

Strategy Objective:The objective of this campaign was to raise awareness of EMBARK's efforts to provide safe essential transit services. Our strategy was centered around demonstrating our safety protocols on our two busiest modes -fixed-route bus and streetcar - and subtitling inviting riders back to the service.

Situation Challenge: As the pandemic continued to rage globally, and communities continued to limit large events, conferences, and return to work; Oklahoma chose to fully reopen. The challenge was inviting riders back in a sensible manner that did not jeopardize customer or employee safety.

Results Impact: National stories about transit safety, service reductions, and funding shortages began creeping into local headlines. This effort sought to insert EMBARK's voice into the conversation while demonstrating how its employees continued to provide essential transit service safely and acknowledging the community's role by taking essential trips. The campaign impacted both rider and non-rider sentiment. Based on non-rider surveys during this period, 83 percent of non-transit users said they strongly agree or agree that transit is important for a thriving community. The same respondents named serving populations with few transportation options and supporting economic development and access to jobs as the top reasons to invest in transit.

Why Submit: This entry showcases how effective storytelling can deliver results that have lasting effects. Growing community confidence during a pandemic demonstrates our agency's resistance, responsiveness, and commitment to excellence - even in the most challenging circumstances.