How we transformed a transport giant from the inside-out.
The UK bus market has been undergoing unprecedented change. Long-term declining bus use, post-COVID changes to the routines of millions, a rapid switch to EV (electronic vehicles), the growth of mobile booking and payment, and a political push toward franchising models all underlined an urgent need for renewal.
First Bus, a £1 billion+ market leader who move millions of passengers every day, needed a transformation which responded to these changing times.
In 2022 we were trusted to help support and drive the business in a major strategic transformation. For the first time in their 30-year history a full refresh of their brand, strategy and vision – nationwide.
Insight
Our team travelled across the UK talking to hundreds of staff, from the driver’s cab to the boardroom. We surveyed thousands of passengers and spoke to local communities and cultures to dig into the true feelings and frustrations on the ground.
Our research found that brand awareness was high, but so was a sense of cynicism and apathy. That the business had over 75 sub-brands, confusing passengers, holding back use of the app, complicating fleet logistics and fuelling cultural division. And that both inside and out, people expected tangible improvements to services to match any rebrand.
Finally we found deep affection for the positive role in society buses play – across staff, passengers and government. The nation may be apathetic toward bus brands, but there was a lot of love out there for the bus itself.
Strategy
For the strategy we focused on:
1. Unifying the business under one national masterbrand and corporate vision.
2. Ensuring as many proof-points of real business transformation behind-the-scenes were in place ahead of any rebrand, to combat cynicism.
3. Launching the brand from the inside-out first, bringing the workforce with us.
4. Proudly and emotionally ‘advocating for the bus, not just us’.
This became the key to the brand’s heart and soul. The bus needed a champion, so the brand became focused on inspiring a nation to not just use the bus, but love it too.
Unstoppable idea
At the centre of everything is a new platform, ‘moving the everyday’ which seeks to pull out the beauty, humour and magic in the everyday. A simple, but authentic promise embracing the inevitable but lovable imperfection of bus travel which moves a nation.
Creative solution
Around this we created a new visual and verbal identity for the business nationwide. A more fluid, motion-driven design system and logo, a tonal and messaging framework to inject humanity, embracing imperfections in communications and a new suite of assets that showcase the beauty, magic and humour of the everyday.
This was all housed in a digital asset management system to ensure the thousands of staff and touchpoints could execute the brand themselves in the years ahead.
Manifesto Film
Integral to the brand launch was a beautifully poetic 60-second manifesto film, ‘My Bus’ – an ode to the magic, humour, and sometimes annoying moments that can only be found on the bus. Starring Jordan Stephens, one half of Rizzle Kicks, who collaborated on a bespoke piece of spoken word for its soundtrack, the film reframes the bus as a place where lives collide, no matter your age, gender, politics, nationality, social or financial standing.
Bringing the brand to life
From new uniforms for the 13,000 staff, to new bus livery for the thousands of buses on the roads, to digital interfaces on the app and online—the new national master-brand will roll out across the UK in phases, unifying the business and its people.
This brand relaunch is the culmination of years of planning and hard work from our teams, taking on feedback from our customers and our people, and we’re proud to announce this new chapter for First Bus. We know as a business that the bus can bring everyone closer together and connect communities – buses don’t just move a nation, but they bring a nation together, every day.
‘Moving the everyday’ embodies everything we stand for at First Bus, and our investment in our business transformation, our refreshed brand look and feel, our people and our net-zero emission mission, demonstrates our commitment and desire for change.
Impact
The refreshed brand went live December 2024 across thousands of online and offline touchpoints. This was backed by a national campaign spanning B2B, B2C and B2G audiences, delivering a staggering 59 million screen impressions and driving an impressive 2.5% boost in positive brand sentiment within the first 24 hours.
And this is just the beginning. A phased rollout will extend the new brand identity across buses, uniforms, and depots in the coming months and years. Together with First Bus, we’ll measure success through robust brand tracking, social listening, internal metrics, and other KPIs. So stay tuned—the journey is far from over.
