SL public transport in Stockholm, challenges cars with attitude in new campaign.

The Public transport in Stockholm, SL, challenges the flexibility of car travel in an extensive campaign. The entire campaign oozes a basic "bah, screw it!", as it shows the negative of car travel in the most mundane possible way.

The campaign developed by "Familjen", in Stockholm highlights all the annoying and bad things about using a car in the city, highlighting that it's certainly not the "easier" way to get around as some people might think.

I know that I've said this before, but I really like the way the art direction was handled in this campaign. It's so down to earth/reality/mundane, that it's actually refreshing as a contrast against the super colorful and loud ads that we are currently oversaturated with. (The Swedish word to describe current art direction trends would be "bjärt", class dismissed!) It also serves to re-enforce how tedious traffic can be, while evoking the feeling of a silent sanctuary once you notice the SL logo which basically looks like a hug. Big fan. Huge. Insert Julia Roberts gif here.

The campaign aims to ask whether the car is the most convenient means of transport in all situations. With the straightforward message "Ride with us instead," the campaign shows all of the issues one can have with car commuting. Gas prices, parking signs, traffic jams, parking tickets, road fees.

The campaign film shows the most boring possible task a driver has to endure. Pocket parking. This is like watching paint dry. It makes me want to scream: "If we had taken the bus we could have been there by now!"

"With the campaign, we want to show situations with a high recognition factor, and we want to show that there are alternatives. With increased inflation and high fuel prices, SL and public transport offer a cheaper and more convenient way to travel in many locations. Therefore, the campaign must implicitly communicate the advantage of avoiding traffic queues, looking for parking, and paying expensive parking fines", says Johan Nordgren, head of marketing communications at SL.

The campaign will run heavily outdoors around Stockholm and its surrounding municipalities. It will also appear in the daily press, social media, and on YouTube.

"We like the idea of meeting the recipient in the same context they find themselves in when they see the advertisement. Therefore, we chose to specify the location of all devices to get the maximum effect at the receiver. It is also a touchy thought for us to be able to induce anxiety and a feeling of "what-the-hell-why- didn't-I-choose-SL-instead" when motorists are sitting there alone in their cars", finishes Hedda Hyland and Ulf Paulsrud-Sirbäck

Working group at Trafikförvaltningen/SL:

Kerstin de Potocki, Project Manager
Johan Nordgren, Head of Marketing Communications

Ad agency: The Sthlm family

Alma Sunnemark Account Manager
Hanna Ternström Client Director
Ulf Paulsrud-Sirbäck Copywriter
Hedda Hyland Art Director
Johan Olsson Graphic designer
Johan Helander Creative Director

Photographer: Fredrik Bengtsson Studio