Streetcar Research

THE MILWAUKEE STREETCAR BRANDING WORKGROUP

WELCOME

INTRODUCTIONS

PROJECT UPDATE

PHASE 1: ROUTE AND LAKEFRONT LINE

4TH STREET EXTENSION

POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS

BRANDING

PLAN TO ANNOUNCE THIS FALL AROUND THE TIME OF MAINTENANCE FACILITY GROUNDBREAKING.

NEED TO BRAND OUR STREETCAR

Branding a product or service creates an identifiable, marketable and common theme that extends across the product and all related touch points, such as opportunities the customer has to interact with the brand.

WHAT WE HEARD

SUMMARY OF QUESTIONS DISCUSSED

What is your vision for the streetcar: what it stands for, what it will do for the city and its people

What are the benefits of the streetcar that most excite/interest you?

Personality: Describe the Milwaukee streetcar’s personality. What should the brand/logo/messaging convey?

SUMMARY OF QUESTIONS DISCUSSED

What are we really selling?

Promise: What should the streetcar brand promise…how do we want people to feel about the brand?

SUMMARY OF QUESTIONS DISCUSSED

Challenges: What do you see as the largest challenges for the streetcar to overcome? Perceptions/misperceptions

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Connections

The streetcar will connect not only places, but people. You will meet new people on the streetcar. It will help capture the “trips not taken.” Get people excited to go out and do stuff.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

City image/pride

The streetcar is bigger than the streetcar. It’s an image for Milwaukee. It helps define us. Makes us proud.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Jobs and development

Job opportunities will flourish; the streetcar will help take away empty spaces

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Additional attributes

• Practical traits :Dependable, Accessible, Convenient, Safe, For everyone, Makes Milwaukee a “four seasons” city

• Descriptive traits: Cool, Modern, Exciting

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Naming

• The streetcar is an “image upgrade” for the city

• Take ownership for this change/ perception

• Do something unexpected in the branding process to enhance the “new vision of MKE”

Naming

•

KEY TAKEAWAYS

“Streetcar” term: has created a lot of controversy

• More drawn to transit names that aren’t defined by mode: The Tube, The L, BART

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Name needs to be authentic Milwaukee

Not too clever or cute.

One word: Uber, Bublr

REQUESTS

• It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s friendly

• Tied to brewing history and Milwaukee pride

• Supports social connections – people, places and participation

MKE WIS

the hop

MKE streetcar

Hop on. Hop off. It’s that simple. With the Hop, more trips are taken because Milwaukee is easier to navigate, neighborhoods are more connected and every destination is just a quick Hop away. With an easy, friendly streetcar, public transit is inviting, approachable and community-oriented. “Hop” is also used to describe an activity or party, like a sock hop, which speaks to the social connections to be made by passengers. The Hop encourages residents and visitors to join in on all that Milwaukee has to offer, including the resurgence of craft breweries. Because not only is the Hop a part of our rich beer brewing history, it’s also a key ingredient in the city’s future.

milwaukee streetcar

• Supports Milwaukee pride, branding the city as the water capital

• Synonymous with modern, contemporary

• Makes a connection to the electric-powered transit technology

The Current moves Milwaukee. It is a smooth, consistent transit option that advocates forward motion for riders and for our city as a whole. Milwaukee was built on water – our lake and rivers represent our history and our strong future as “the freshwater capital of the world.” The Current reminds residents and visitors that this is not your grandpa’s trolley; it’s a modern, forward-thinking, electricpowered mobile, capable of powering our city’s progress.

Additionally, this name provides opportunity to integrate Milwaukee’s various transit options around a water theme: Bublr bikes, Current streetcar, Rapids BRT, perhaps Rivr Bus.

• Quick and easy identifier with a story behind it

• Radiates classic Milwaukee: inviting, friendly, approachable

• A concierge to the city – accessible and appreciated by visitors and residents alike

The 414 is more than a streetcar. It embodies the City of Milwaukee. For locals, it’s familiar and fun. It’s convenient transportation and a vehicle for showcasing their hometown pride. For visitors, it’s an easy invitation to jump right in, don’t just tour the city – experience it. For businesses, it’s exciting opportunities to further weave themselves into the fabric of Milwaukee culture. This city has a lot to offer. The 414 is your code to navigating it. It’s the epicenter of your itinerary and your connection to community. Get on board.

VIEW IMPLEMENTATION AT BOARDS

EXAMPLES OF TRANSIT BRANDING

EXAMPLES OF TRANSIT BRANDING

Naming:

• Some say “streetcar,” some don’t • Some use city name, some don’t • Some use a variation/abbreviation of the city name.

EXAMPLES OF TRANSIT BRANDING

Graphics:

• Some use “streetcar” images, some don’t

• Some use “movement/motion” images, some don’t

• Some use different graphics associated with the city’s larger image.

TUCSON

TACOMA

FT. LAUDERDALE (IN DEVELOPMENT)

INTEGRATION: KANSAS CITY

INTEGRATION: TUCSON

INTEGRATION: DALLAS