My suggestion could be seen as controversial and not everyone will agree with this. Bear in mind that I’m not an expert in marketing and promotions, but I do like to float ideas on how to make transport services more attractive.
Transport for London (TfL) is trying to become financially sustainable and find ways to increase their revenue; their current financial settlement with the Government ends on 24 June 2022 and could expect to be renewed by the Government.
I refer to my article last year on a proposal to give line names to London Overground services and make journey planning much easier because they don’t have separate lines shown on the Tube map and Tube & Rail map.
A user on Twitter posted an image of TfL proposing to include different railway lines for London Overground services to their Tube Map in 2015, but unfortunately it never happened.
Official 2015 map when they were nearly added pic.twitter.com/MPHKnXJ21K
— Jasper. 🚄🇭🇰💬 (@JaJaWa) May 19, 2022
So my idea of a company sponsoring a London Overground line could be ideal for TfL to make journey planning easier and increase their revenue.
Imagine if Watford DC line of the London Overground was sponsored with the name ‘Tesco line’ (a well known UK supermarket) or ‘Dyson line’ (known for vacuum cleaners), it may look odd, but at least it would make journey planning much easier as well as increasing revenue for TfL.
I would like to see a sponsored Overground line have its own unique colour on the Tube Map based on the company branding to make it easier to identify the route.
I should also point out that Theme Parks such as Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park offer brand partnership opportunities with companies to brand a new or existing ride.
A furniture and homeware store named IKEA is currently sponsoring TfL by having their logo on the Tube Map and on stations where IKEA is situated.
From IKEA
IKEA will be featured on the online, in-station and pocket Tube maps in London.
The new Tube map will be sponsored by IKEA for the next 12 months, with markers showing the nearest public transport options to the five stores accessible by TfL (Transport for London). It's the first time in six years that the Tube map has had a sponsor.
Every day, TfL's bus, Tube and rail services transport millions of people across the city for work, leisure and shopping. Being visible on the Tube map will enable IKEA to reach them and inform them that IKEA is closer than many may think.
Michael Hawkins, London Area Manager at IKEA UK said: “As we create a more accessible and sustainable IKEA, we want to make it easier for our customers to visit us via public transport. Sponsoring the iconic Tube map will support customers in finding the easiest way to us.”
Julie Dixon, Interim Customer and Revenue Director at TfL said: "Sponsorship is a key part of TfL's commercial activities as it generates revenue for reinvestment back into our transport network. This 12-month partnership with IKEA reflects our mutual desire to encourage more journeys by public transport."
The London Tube map is one of the most iconic maps in the world, the most viewed piece of information in the city and famous the world over. 2022 will see the biggest update to London's transport network in over 10 years as TfL open the Elizabeth Line, redefining transport in London and revolutionising the way people travel across the city.
I’ve also tweeted the link to the contract between TfL and IKEA of the sponsorship agreement.
Contract between #TfL and #IKEA on Tube Map #advertisinghttps://t.co/DkIWS0euw9https://t.co/rGrO7avGsOhttps://t.co/QUmfDpfewY pic.twitter.com/E6nDiLC7LN
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) May 25, 2022
TfL also have sponsorship of their transport modes, they are Cycle Hire bikes and Cable Car in East London.
Barclays sponsored the Cycle Hire bikes from 2010 to 2015, then Santander took over the sponsorship which is expected to last until 2025, replacing the Barclays branding.
An airline company named Emirates sponsored the Cable Car under the name of ‘Emirates Air line’ which ran from summer 2012 until June 2022.
TfL is currently looking for a company to sponsor their cable car and to offer companies the opportunity to have themselves promoted on the Tube Map and become part London’s history. You can read more about the London Cable Car Sponsorship Opportunity on the TfL website.
Advertising campaigns are nothing new for TfL or their predecessor London Transport. The most notable campaign was in the year 1998 when Yellow Pages sponsored one of the London Underground Circle line trains with all-over wrap and seat moquette, along with advertising on the rest of the London Transport network.
This bright yellow moquette was used on a single C Stock train as part of a promotional campaign by Yellow Pages in 1998. The design features lines of classification headings from the Yellow Pages telephone directory https://t.co/RfgG7hMB8q pic.twitter.com/rryS0c4Z9h
— London Transport Museum (@ltmuseum) February 5, 2021
TfL also allows sponsorship opportunities by temporarily renaming London Underground stations and to allow companies to adopt their own branding to the stations to promote their product, service, programme etc.
You can read more about Commercial partnerships & experiential marketing on the TfL website.
If you take a look at the large dome-shaped building in North Greenwich, South East London, it was known as the Millennium Dome. Then in 2007 a mobile phone company named O2 took over and branded it as ‘The O2‘ That is how the company marketed their entertainment venue to make it more attractive. You can read more about it on the Populous website.
Since I’ve floated the idea, you can discuss it on social media as to whether you agree with sponsorship of London Overground lines (or other TfL services) to make journey planning easier and to increase revenue for TfL’s budget.
I invite you to follow me on Twitter by searching for @CLondoner92 or by clicking on the direct link to my Twitter page.